Amid Romney vote comes renewed interest in local bill to recall Senators

There is renewed interest in a Utah lawmaker’s bill to allow Utahns to recall an elected U.S. Senator on the heels of Utah Senator Mitt Romney’s vote to convict President Trump in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Tim Quinn (R-Heber City) says his office was inundated with over 100 phone calls and hundreds of emails mostly all positive following the U.S. Senate floor vote, where Romney (R-Utah) cast the lone Republican vote to convict.

Quinn says the bill has been gaining traction for some time and was not drafted necessarily with Romney in mind.  Although he would not specifically say whether he personally believed Romney should be recalled, he does think voters should have a say in whether or not a senator should be removed from office if they believe he isn’t doing what he was elected to do.

Romney himself says he hasn’t had a lot of time to think about the consequences of Wednesday’s vote for conviction on one of the two articles of impeachment, and he says he is aware of Quinn’s recall bill.

“I don’t know what might happen in the Utah Legislature. I will accept whatever consequence is sent my way and recognize that is part of the job. People don’t expect me to be a shrinking violet,” according to Romney.

Listeners who texted KSL News Radio following Wednesday’s vote were pretty adamant on either side of the issue, with some expressing admiration for Utah’s junior senator.  One texter thanked Romney for “choosing to do what was right. Your actions were admirable and exemplary and I applaud you for your integrity of heart.”

Others weren’t so understanding, including one commenter who believes “Senator Romney is a huge embarrassment to the Utah Republicans who elected him. Definitely ‘buyers remorse’ for a make-believe Republican in sheep’s clothing!”

There was a show of support for Romney Wednesday night as about 50 demonstrators showed up downtown at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in praise of Romney’s vote.  Romney says he expects plenty of abuse from the President and his supporters at any or all future political rallies.

Utah’s senior senator Mike Lee told KSL Newsradio’s ‘Live Mic with Lee Lonsberry’ that he stands by last week’s comments that Utah is lucky to have Romney and he has great respect for his Senate colleague, but that Romney’s vote surprised him and that he was very disappointed.

Utah’s only Democrat in Congress, Ben McAdams, says Romney is a person of integrity and principle.

“I came to Congress to do the right thing for Utah and our country. Like Sen. Romney, I believe what the president did was wrong. His actions warranted accountability,” McAdams said.