Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney argued that after the Justice Department indicted the former president and pressured New York prosecutors not to pursue Trump’s ongoing hush money trial, President Joe Biden should have pardoned Trump.
Romney expressed his dismay in an exclusive interview with MSNBC’s “The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle” regarding the rallying of Republican lawmakers in support of Trump outside the Manhattan courthouse housing his hush money trial, including the vice presidential candidates of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
“I think it’s a terrible fault, for our country to see people attacking our legal system — that’s an enormous mistake.I think it’s also demeaning for people to quite, apparently, try and run for vice president by donning the red tie and standing outside the courthouse and it’s just — I felt awkward.” Romney said.
“I’ve been around for a while, if LBJ had been president, and he didn’t want something like this to happen, he’d have been all over that prosecutor saying, ‘You better not bring that forward or I’m gonna drive you out of office,’ he continued after being pressed by Ruhle to further explain his position.
The Utah Republican argued that Biden ought to have granted Trump a pardon when charges were announced against him by the Justice Department, and that the president “erred significantly” by failing to exert pressure on New York prosecutors to dismiss their case against Trump. (Presidential pardons are limited to federal cases.)
“He should have fought like crazy to keep this prosecution from going forward. It was a win-win for Donald Trump.” Romney said.
When questioned by Ruhle regarding whether it is Biden’s responsibility to grant Trump a pardon, Romney stated that he believes Biden should have followed the example of former President Lyndon B. Johnson and urged New York prosecutors to dismiss the case.
“I do. … I mean, you may disagree with this, but had I been President Biden, when the Justice Department brought on indictments, I would have immediately pardoned him … President Trump. Why? Well, because it makes me, President Biden, the big guy and the person I pardoned a little guy.” he concluded.
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