Mitt Romney shocked the political world when he just announced that he will vote to convict Trump. Most considered it almost certain that all Republicans would hold their nose and their pride to find Trump innocent, allowing Trump to walk away declaring total vindication, that it was a hoax, and the most partisan impeachment proceeding in history.

Not anymore.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) on Wednesday announced that he will vote to convict President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial, making him the first Republican senator to cross over and join Democrats in supporting removing the president for abuse of power.

We agree.

Romney’s defection is far more powerful than one simple vote in the Senate, and I suspect he knows it. As we’ve written over and over, Trump is in control of the Republican party with ruthless aggression, and Republican senators that cower in fear will see what it looks like when one of their own doesn’t give a flying fffff, doesn’t care what Trump thinks or says.

“The president did in fact pressure a foreign government to corrupt our election process,” Romney told The Atlantic. “And really, corrupting an election process in a democratic republic is about as abusive and egregious an act against the Constitution—and one’s oath—that I can imagine. It’s what autocrats do.”

Like a tall cool drink of water from an oasis in the desert.

I get it, not all that courageous. It is true that the primarily Mormon state of Utah has always had some serious issues with Trump (since he lives the opposite lifestyle that Mormons prefer), Romney isn’t up for reelection until 2004, by which time this won’t be the primary issue in his election and for sure, Romney is rich as can be and thus can afford to tell anyone to go to hell (Being rich is funny that way, I recommend everyone try it sometime and I’m sure you’ll agree.), so it isn’t exactly a profile in courage.

But it isn’t nothing, either. Trump’s vengeance will be heated, and insidious. Romney might get more of it directed at him than even Adam Schiff. Romney will also find it hard to raise money (again, the rich thing) for his supporters or his own reelection, it is a pretty daring move. No one knows exactly the direction the country will take from here.

Romney is “about to go through some things” in the Trump lexicon, and it’ll be ugly. I will remember this day, and appreciate what he’s doing. Nothing cynical about it.

We do know something for sure. As more and more evidence about Trump’s “appalling abuse of power” slips out, Romney will have a far easier time riding it out over the Republican sell-outs. Romney can sit back and whisper, “told ya,” over a cool lemonade.

I might buy.

Nice job, Mitt, nice job.

****

Peace, y’all

Jason

[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom