Romney: Republicans Must Publicly Say Biden Won Election 'Legitimately' for 'Unity'
Senator says public statement would bring 'unity'
© press
Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) has called for Republicans to say publicly that Joe Biden "legitimately won" the 2020 presidential election in order to achieve "national unity."
During an online forum on Tuesday presented by the Economic Club of Chicago, Romney called for Republicans to join Democrats in saying there was no widespread voter fraud.
Romney said:
“There is no question that the nation is divided now, and there is a lot of anger."
"To the people on my side who say an impeachment trial is going to inflame passions more," Romey said.
"I say, first of all, have you gone out publicly and said that there was not widespread voter fraud and that Joe Biden is the legitimate president of the United States?"
© press
"If you said that, then I’m happy to listen to you talk about other things that might inflame anger and divisiveness," Romney continued.
WATCH:
"But if you haven’t said that, that’s really what’s at the source of the anger right now," he added.
"There are many, many Republicans, almost three-quarters, who believe democracy itself has been stolen.
"That a very passioned perspective. You’ve got to have that get to the rearview mirror before you talk about the next stage.”
Romney continued:
“I would also say if you want to see national unity, you really have to rely on truth and justice. Justice being carried out is something which the American people expect."
© press
"Five people died with the attack on the Capitol. Five human beings died," he added.
"There’s no question but that the president incited the insurrection that occurred."
"To what degree and so forth is something we’re going to evaluate in the trial that will proceed," he added.
"How culpable is he? That’s something we will evaluate. But to simply say, ‘Well, we’re gonna just move on because we need to be united,’ would not be, I think, consistent with the history of justice as applied in our country."
"And I believe it’s an element of unity, which I look forward to having resolved so that we can move on.”
Earlier this week, Romney claimed the impeachment of Donald Trump was "constitutional" even though he has left office.
Romney argued the case for Trump's impeachment trial during CNN’s “State of the Union."
"And I think if you put aside the partisan columns if you will written in various publications and look at those that are written by academics, you’ll find that the preponderance of the legal opinion is that an impeachment trial after someone has left office is constitutional."
GOP Sen. Mitt Romney says his impeachment vote will be "based upon the facts and the evidence as is presented."
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) January 24, 2021
Romney says he believes "that what is being alleged and what is what we saw, which is incitement to insurrection is an impeachable offense. If not? what is?" #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/RbmcLXKGnz
