usatoday--2020-02-07--Lindsey Graham  said God won't ask why he voted to acquit Trump

WASHINGTON – Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , said Thursday that when he meets `` God at the pearly gates '' he wo n't ask why the senator voted to acquit President Donald Trump .
Graham , speaking on Fox News ' Brian Kilmeade Show , was asked about Sen. Mitt Romney , R-UT.
, voting to convict Trump on abuse of power .
Romney was the only GOP member to vote for conviction on either of the charges , becoming the first Senator in history to vote to convict a member of their own political party .
‘ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as ‘ evil ’ as he celebrates impeachment acquittal Romney , a devout Mormon , gave an emotional speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday , touting his strong belief in his faith as guidance and saying his `` oath before God '' was at the heart of his decision on impeachment .
Graham , one of Trump 's biggest supporters in Congress , sees his religious beliefs differently , saying , `` All I can tell you is that God gave us free will and common sense .
I used the common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a bunch of B.S . ''
`` [ Impeachment ] was politically driven , it was driven by people who are not looking for the truth , they hate Trump , they were gon na impeach him the day he got elected and if you ca n't see through this , you know , your religion is clouding your thinking here , '' he continued .
`` When I go to meet God at the pearly gates I do n't think he 's going to ask me , 'Why did n't you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong but I do n't think that 's gon na be at the top of the list , '' Graham said .
Romney joined Senate Democrats in voting to convict on an article accusing Trump of abusing his power by trying to pressure Ukraine into announcing investigations of political rivals , including former Vice President Joe Biden , in exchange for releasing nearly $ 400 million in military aid .
Romney voted against the second article charging Trump with obstruction of Congress .
Trump was acquitted on both articles .
Impeachment explained : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiry of President Trump Romney said Wednesday , `` The allegations made in the articles of impeachment are very serious .
As a Senator-juror , I swore an oath , before God , to exercise “ impartial justice.
” I am a profoundly religious person .
I take an oath before God as enormously consequential .
I knew from the outset that being tasked with judging the President , the leader of my own party , would be the most difficult decision I have ever faced .
I was not wrong . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he `` has always liked '' the Utah Senator , who was the GOP presidential nominee in 2012 .
“ I appreciate the fact that he ’ s helped the Republican agenda , ” Graham explained .
“ He ’ s going to help us continue to build up the military , cut taxes and reform the government , I hope .
”

Lindsey Graham said God won't ask why he voted to acquit Trump
Show Caption Hide Caption Mitt Romney chokes up explaining his impeachment vote to convict Trump Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, gives emotional explanation of his decision to vote to convict President Trump in impeachment trial USA TODAY, Associated Press
WASHINGTON – Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Thursday that when he meets "God at the pearly gates" he won't ask why the senator voted to acquit President Donald Trump.
Graham, speaking on Fox News' Brian Kilmeade Show, was asked about Sen. Mitt Romney, R-UT., voting to convict Trump on abuse of power. Romney was the only GOP member to vote for conviction on either of the charges, becoming the first Senator in history to vote to convict a member of their own political party.
‘We went through hell.’ Trump attacks Democrats as ‘evil’ as he celebrates impeachment acquittal
Romney, a devout Mormon, gave an emotional speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday, touting his strong belief in his faith as guidance and saying his "oath before God" was at the heart of his decision on impeachment.
Graham, one of Trump's biggest supporters in Congress, sees his religious beliefs differently, saying, "All I can tell you is that God gave us free will and common sense. I used the common sense God gave me to understand this was a bunch of B.S."
"[Impeachment] was politically driven, it was driven by people who are not looking for the truth, they hate Trump, they were gonna impeach him the day he got elected and if you can't see through this, you know, your religion is clouding your thinking here," he continued.
More: GOP Sen. Romney faces awkwardness, 'abuse' for defying Trump on impeachment
"When I go to meet God at the pearly gates I don't think he's going to ask me, 'Why didn't you convict Trump?' I may be wrong but I don't think that's gonna be at the top of the list," Graham said.
Romney joined Senate Democrats in voting to convict on an article accusing Trump of abusing his power by trying to pressure Ukraine into announcing investigations of political rivals, including former Vice President Joe Biden, in exchange for releasing nearly $400 million in military aid. Romney voted against the second article charging Trump with obstruction of Congress. Trump was acquitted on both articles.
Impeachment explained: A diagram of events in the impeachment inquiry of President Trump
Romney said Wednesday, "The allegations made in the articles of impeachment are very serious. As a Senator-juror, I swore an oath, before God, to exercise “impartial justice.” I am a profoundly religious person. I take an oath before God as enormously consequential. I knew from the outset that being tasked with judging the President, the leader of my own party, would be the most difficult decision I have ever faced. I was not wrong."
Graham did say in the interview that he "has always liked" the Utah Senator, who was the GOP presidential nominee in 2012.
“I appreciate the fact that he’s helped the Republican agenda,” Graham explained. “He’s going to help us continue to build up the military, cut taxes and reform the government, I hope.”
Contributing: Ledyard King, Maureen Groppe, Christal Hayes, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-02-07--'We went through hell.' Trump attacks Democrats as 'evil' as he celebrates impeachment acquittal

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump used a White House ceremony Thursday to celebrate his impeachment acquittal , saying he had `` been through hell '' in a process he blamed on `` leakers and liars '' who had unfairly accused him of misconduct in his dealings with Ukraine .
After entering the formal East Room to the anthem `` Hail to the Chief , '' Trump praised Republican lawmakers and his legal team as `` warriors '' and accused Democrats of trying to destroy the country by removing him from office .
`` They brought me to the final stages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that gorgeous word .
I never thought a word would sound so good .
It 's called total acquittal , '' said Trump , standing before Cabinet members , Republican lawmakers and family members .
In 63 minutes of unscripted remarks , he called out dozens of people by name to thank them for defending him , including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and several other lawmakers .
McConnell and other senators served as jurors in the impeachment trial .
While Trump himself billed the event as a `` celebration , '' it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over his impeachment by the Democratic-controlled House .
Impeachment is a `` very ugly word to me .
It 's a dark word , '' Trump said .
Trump said the impeachment and the Ukraine investigation that preceded it were part of a years-long effort to go after him .
He alluded frequently to the investigation into Russia 's 2016 election interference by special counsel Robert Mueller .
`` And it never really stopped .
We 've been going through this now for over three years .
It was evil , it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was leakers and liars , and this should never ever happen to another president , '' he said .
Before the president appeared , Pat Cipollone and Jay Sekulow , the two lawyers who defended him in his impeachment trial , drew a round of applause as they entered the room .
`` But today is a day to celebrate these great warriors , right ? ''
Trump said .
Trump was joined by several allies in Congress , including Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio , John Ratcliffe of Texas , Mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Georgia .
Sens .
Chuck Grassley of Iowa , Mike Lee of Utah and Josh Hawley of Missouri were also in the audience .
After laying out a laundry list of gripes , Trump touted the stock market and the soaring economy .
He discussed his State of the Union speech , saying he received high marks from people he spoke with after his address .
But then he almost immediately returned to impeachment , retelling his version of the investigations .
“ We went through hell , unfairly , ” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end result is , ” he added , holding up the front page of The Washington Post with a headline “ Trump acquitted.
” Embracing a line he often uses at his campaign rallies , Trump claimed that the investigations were “ all bulls -- -.
” Trump was impeached by the House on Dec. 18 , then acquitted by the Senate Wednesday , over allegations he invited foreign influence in the 2020 election by pressuring Ukraine to gather dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden , a Democratic presidential contender .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech was Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah , the former 2012 GOP presidential candidate and the only Republican who voted with Democrats to convict him .
“ Things can happen when you fail so badly , ” Trump said of the Utah Republican .
“ I ’ m sorry about Mitt Romney.
” Romney became the first senator in the nation ’ s history to vote to convict a president of his own party .
The vote robbed Trump of the ability to say that Republicans were unified against his removal .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prayer breakfast Thursday morning , when the defiant president unloaded on those who tried to impeach him , telling the crowd he was put through `` a terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people . ''
Tensions were palpable as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , who presided over the impeachment drive , sat nearby at the Washington Hilton Hotel .
`` I had Nancy Pelosi sitting four seats away and I 'm saying things a lot people would n't have said but I meant it .
I meant every word , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House before calling Pelosi `` a horrible person . ''
Trump , who has used those probes to sell an us-against-them theme on the campaign trail , sharpened his criticism of Democrats in the remarks .
Democrats are “ vicious people ” and “ lousy politicians , ” he said , but “ they stick together like glue.
” “ That ’ s how they impeached , ” he added , saying , “ They ’ ll probably come back for more.
” Trump said he suspects Democrats are n't done with accusations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure they ’ ll try to cook up other things , ” he said .
“ They ’ ll do whatever they can .
Because instead of wanting to heal our country and fix our country ... they want to destroy our country .
We can ’ t let it happen.
” National Prayer Breakfast : Trump blasts impeachment supports at annual prayer breakfast on morning after final Senate vote Tougher than Teflon ?
: Trump shows he is the most resilient politician in modern US history As was long expected , Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to remove the president from office .
The Senate voted 52-48 on Wednesday to acquit Trump on the charge that he abused his power and 53-47 on the charge that he obstructed Congress .
Hillary Clinton : Clinton praises Romney 's 'extraordinary ' impeachment stand , says others 'voted to betray ' Constitution The scorched-earth remarks were in stark contrast to President Bill Clinton 's remarks following his acquittal on impeachment charges triggered by his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky .
“ I want to say again to the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I said and did to trigger these events and the great burden they have imposed on the Congress and the American people , ” a contrite Clinton said during a Rose Garden speech on Feb. 12 , 1999 .
Clinton asked all Americans to `` rededicate ourselves to the work of serving our nation and building our future together . ''
`` This can be , and this must be , a time of reconciliation and renewal for America , '' he said .
Political fallout : The trial is over .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the political fallout .
Charm , patience and Twitter tactics : How Trump , McConnell kept GOP in line on impeachment

Michael Collins, David Jackson, John Fritze and Courtney Subramanian, USA TODAY

‘We went through hell.’ Trump attacks Democrats as ‘evil’ as he celebrates impeachment acquittal
Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump calls 'B.S.' after impeachment acquittal in remarks to nation President Donald Trump delivered remarks a day after the U.S. Senate voted to acquit him. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump used a White House ceremony Thursday to celebrate his impeachment acquittal, saying he had "been through hell" in a process he blamed on "leakers and liars" who had unfairly accused him of misconduct in his dealings with Ukraine.
After entering the formal East Room to the anthem "Hail to the Chief," Trump praised Republican lawmakers and his legal team as "warriors" and accused Democrats of trying to destroy the country by removing him from office.
"They brought me to the final stages of impeachment, but now we have that gorgeous word. I never thought a word would sound so good. It's called total acquittal," said Trump, standing before Cabinet members, Republican lawmakers and family members.
In 63 minutes of unscripted remarks, he called out dozens of people by name to thank them for defending him, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and several other lawmakers. McConnell and other senators served as jurors in the impeachment trial.
While Trump himself billed the event as a "celebration," it was also clear he was still seething over his impeachment by the Democratic-controlled House.
Impeachment is a "very ugly word to me. It's a dark word," Trump said.
Trump said the impeachment and the Ukraine investigation that preceded it were part of a years-long effort to go after him. He alluded frequently to the investigation into Russia's 2016 election interference by special counsel Robert Mueller.
"And it never really stopped. We've been going through this now for over three years. It was evil, it was corrupt, it was dirty cops, it was leakers and liars, and this should never ever happen to another president," he said.
Before the president appeared, Pat Cipollone and Jay Sekulow, the two lawyers who defended him in his impeachment trial, drew a round of applause as they entered the room.
"But today is a day to celebrate these great warriors, right?" Trump said.
Trump was joined by several allies in Congress, including Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, John Ratcliffe of Texas, Mark Meadows of North Carolina and Doug Collins of Georgia. Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Mike Lee of Utah and Josh Hawley of Missouri were also in the audience.
Presidential impeachment: Clinton, Johnson, Nixon test U.S. democracy Presidents have been impeached, but none have been removed from office due to impeachment. Confusing? Here's how. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
After laying out a laundry list of gripes, Trump touted the stock market and the soaring economy. He discussed his State of the Union speech, saying he received high marks from people he spoke with after his address.
But then he almost immediately returned to impeachment, retelling his version of the investigations.
“We went through hell, unfairly,” Trump said. “But this is what the end result is,” he added, holding up the front page of The Washington Post with a headline “Trump acquitted.”
Embracing a line he often uses at his campaign rallies, Trump claimed that the investigations were “all bulls---.”
Trump was impeached by the House on Dec. 18, then acquitted by the Senate Wednesday, over allegations he invited foreign influence in the 2020 election by pressuring Ukraine to gather dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden, a Democratic presidential contender.
Among Trump's targets in Thursday's speech was Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, the former 2012 GOP presidential candidate and the only Republican who voted with Democrats to convict him.
“Things can happen when you fail so badly,” Trump said of the Utah Republican. “I’m sorry about Mitt Romney.”
Romney became the first senator in the nation’s history to vote to convict a president of his own party. The vote robbed Trump of the ability to say that Republicans were unified against his removal.
Trump also referred to his appearance at a prayer breakfast Thursday morning, when the defiant president unloaded on those who tried to impeach him, telling the crowd he was put through "a terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people."
Tensions were palpable as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who presided over the impeachment drive, sat nearby at the Washington Hilton Hotel.
"I had Nancy Pelosi sitting four seats away and I'm saying things a lot people wouldn't have said but I meant it. I meant every word," he said later at the White House before calling Pelosi "a horrible person."
Trump, who has used those probes to sell an us-against-them theme on the campaign trail, sharpened his criticism of Democrats in the remarks.
Democrats are “vicious people” and “lousy politicians,” he said, but “they stick together like glue.”
“That’s how they impeached,” he added, saying, “They’ll probably come back for more.”
Trump said he suspects Democrats aren't done with accusations against him.
“I’m sure they’ll try to cook up other things,” he said. “They’ll do whatever they can. Because instead of wanting to heal our country and fix our country ... they want to destroy our country. We can’t let it happen.”
National Prayer Breakfast: Trump blasts impeachment supports at annual prayer breakfast on morning after final Senate vote
Tougher than Teflon?:Trump shows he is the most resilient politician in modern US history
As was long expected, Democrats fell far short of the 67 votes needed to remove the president from office. The Senate voted 52-48 on Wednesday to acquit Trump on the charge that he abused his power and 53-47 on the charge that he obstructed Congress.
Hillary Clinton: Clinton praises Romney's 'extraordinary' impeachment stand, says others 'voted to betray' Constitution
The scorched-earth remarks were in stark contrast to President Bill Clinton's remarks following his acquittal on impeachment charges triggered by his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
“I want to say again to the American people how profoundly sorry I am for what I said and did to trigger these events and the great burden they have imposed on the Congress and the American people,” a contrite Clinton said during a Rose Garden speech on Feb. 12, 1999.
Clinton asked all Americans to "rededicate ourselves to the work of serving our nation and building our future together."
"This can be, and this must be, a time of reconciliation and renewal for America," he said.
Political fallout: The trial is over. Trump won. Now get ready for the political fallout.
Charm, patience and Twitter tactics: How Trump, McConnell kept GOP in line on impeachment


usatoday--2020-02-07--GOP Sen. Romney faces awkwardness, 'abuse' for defying Trump on impeachment

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mitt Romney sat sternly with his hands clasped in his lap Wednesday as Republican colleagues to his left and right stood up and declared President Donald Trump “ not guilty ” on two articles of impeachment .
One of the last to enter the Senate chamber before the historic vote , Romney had , less than three hours before , announced he would be the only member of the president ’ s party not to acquit him on both charges .
Trump , the senator concluded , had committed an act so extreme and egregious it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blue suit with an American flag pin , Romney had not been greeted by his colleagues and did not boast a smile as the voting began .
When the trial ended , the Utah senator was the first to depart .
Impeachment vote : '' Appalling abuse '' : Sen. Mitt Romney votes to convict President Trump on abuse of power charge Romney hadn ’ t gamed out how to navigate what would come next .
After he ’ d announced his decision , Romney ’ s chief of staff told him it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the plan – dealing with the backlash .
`` We don ’ t have one , ” the aide responded , according to Romney .
Romney ’ s decision to become the first senator in U.S. history to vote for removal of a president of his own party now makes him a test case on whether the GOP is willing to accommodate dissent against a president who demands loyalty .
Romney joined Senate Democrats in voting to convict on an article accusing Trump of abusing his power by trying to pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including former Vice President Joe Biden , in exchange for releasing nearly $ 400 million in military aid .
Romney voted against the second article charging Trump with obstruction of Congress .
Trump was acquitted on both articles .
There aren ’ t a lot of alternative voices left in the GOP since Trump took office three years ago .
Gone from the Senate are John McCain of Arizona , Bob Corker of Tennessee and Jeff Flake of Arizona .
Trump ’ s most outspoken conservative critic in the House , Rep. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP last year to become an independent .
Romney entered the Senate last year with the clout of having been the party ’ s 2012 nominee and the freedom of coming from a state that , while heavily Republican , is not in lockstep with Trump .
And most in his party had accepted his criticism of Trump over the years , even if many did not agree .
Wednesday ’ impeachment vote felt different .
And the criticism was swift and harsh .
The president ’ s oldest son , Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bitter '' over his failed 2012 president bid and intent on impressing elites and the mainstream media .
He added that Romney was officially `` a member the resistance & should be expelled from the @ GOP.
” On Thursday , Trump began his own onslaught against Romney .
`` I do n't like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong , '' Trump said at the National Prayer Breakfast , a high-profile gathering of hundreds of faith leaders from around the country .
Though he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the breakfast , there was no mistaking the target .
The senator , a devout Mormon , had said in his floor speech that his `` oath before God '' was at the heart of his decision on impeachment .
Later , at a White House event to celebrate his acquittal , Trump was more direct , suggesting Romney was disgruntled over not having won the White House .
“ Things can happen when you fail so badly , ” Trump said .
“ I ’ m sorry about Mitt Romney.
” Matt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union and a staunch Trump ally , said Utah now has a “ big problem ” that his group would like to help fix .
“ # DumpRomney , ” tweeted Schlapp who had already banned Romney from attending this year ’ s gathering of conservative activists after Romney was one of only two Republican senators to vote for witnesses at the Senate impeachment trial .
'Another day and another vote' Romney 's Senate colleagues were generally more muted in their response , saying it would not be productive to ostracize him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , '' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky .
He said Romney had been `` largely supportive of most everything '' on the GOP 's congressional agenda .
But McConnell said he wished Romney had n't voted the way he did .
“ I was surprised and disappointed , ” the Senate GOP leader said .
Sen. Susan Collins , R-Maine , a key swing vote who voted to acquit the president , said while she disagreed with Romney , she has `` a lot of respect '' for him and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his role in the Republican conference uncomfortable .
`` I respect his right to vote his conscience , and I do n't think there ought to be retribution , '' agreed Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas , the second most powerful Senate Republican .
Lone ranger : Mitt Romney : a solitary GOP voice battling Trump for the soul of the Republican Party His GOP colleagues also knew Romney 's history as someone who had openly sparred with Trump on his way to the presidency .
In 2016 , Romney held a news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` phony '' and a `` fraud . ''
`` Well , I think he and the president had a little bit of a complicated relationship to start with , ” GOP Sen. John Thune of South Dakota said with a smile .
“ In the ( GOP ) conference , he ’ s somebody that we all know is a very independent person .
And obviously , you know , we ’ re going to continue to work with him .
There ’ s always going to be another day and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ real dread ” had swept over Romney when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last fall launched Democrats ’ impeachment inquiry .
Romney realized he was going to have to sit in judgment on the leader of his party , someone whose policies he backs the vast majority of the time , and – despite a complicated history with Trump – someone for whom he had “ feelings of cordiality.
” “ We are collegial , ” Romney said of Trump , even though the freshman senator had published an opinion piece when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ has not risen to the mantle of the office.
” “ That ’ s where he basically said , ‘ I want to be kind of the moral voice , ’ ” said Lara Brown , director of George Washington University ’ s Graduate School of Political Management .
Romney was saying , “ I agree with Trump on a lot of issues .
But this is n't always about issues .
This is about principles , ” Brown said .
But there ’ s a canyon of difference between penning an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty of an impeachable offense .
When Trump ’ s trial began in the Senate , Romney never slept past 4 a.m. His mind churned through the arguments presented by both sides and the consequence of the evidence he was given .
At a closed-door Republican lunch during the trial , Romney stood up to address his colleagues .
A hush fell over the ornate dining room .
Some senators stopped eating .
They peered up at the former presidential candidate .
Romney argued that it was important to hear from eye witnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Bolton , who could dispute or confirm the accusations against Trump .
After the lunch , Romney was denounced on Twitter by the newest member of the Senate , Kelly Loeffler , R-Ga. “ Sadly , my colleague @ SenatorRomney wants to appease the left by calling witnesses who will slander the @ realDonaldTrump during their 15 minutes of fame , ” Loeffler tweeted .
Loeffler had backed Romney ’ s 2012 presidential bid , including contributing with her husband a combined $ 1.5 million to a pro-Romney super PAC , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I can ’ t tell you the number of people who ’ ve stopped me and said , ‘ I gave my largest donation when Mitt Romney was running for president and I really regret that .
I don ’ t understand what he ’ s doing , ’ ” said David McIntosh , head of the Club for Growth , a conservative group that had opposed Trump ’ s 2016 bid but now backs his reelection .
During the impeachment process , the group aired ads in Utah to warn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleagues in the Senate ” they were being closely watched , McIntosh said .
Bill Kristol , a leader of the conservative resistance to Trump , had offered “ a little bit of backup ” for Romney in ads run in Utah and some other states urging Republicans to “ let Bolton testify.
” “ It doesn ’ t hurt for there to be a little bit of messaging on his side , ” Kristol said .
“ For me , the story has always been the Republicans on the Hill and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided to just capitulate to Trump.
” In letters he gave to each of his GOP colleague before his floor speech , Romney wrote of the role his faith had played in his thinking on impeachment .
“ I am a profoundly religious person , ” he wrote at the top of the letters , which were signed with blue ink and delivered to senators ' boxes in the cloakroom .
During his speech , the Utah senator choked up for a few seconds as he explained how his Christian background affected his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the articles of impeachment are very serious , '' he said .
`` As a Senator-juror , I swore an oath , before God , to exercise 'impartial justice . '
I am a profoundly religious person .
I take an oath before God as enormously consequential .
I knew from the outset that being tasked with judging the president , the leader of my own party , would be the most difficult decision I have ever faced .
I was not wrong . ''
He 'd reached his conclusion after senators had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides last week and started drafting what he would say to explain a vote that `` will have impact on me and my family for a long , long time to come . ''
“ I am sure to hear abuse from the president and his supporters , ” Romney said in his floor remarks .
“ Does anyone seriously believe I would consent to these consequences other than from an inescapable conviction that my oath before God demanded it of me ?
” 'We all need each other' After the votes were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been acquitted , Romney quietly rose from his desk and left chamber into an uncertain political future .
He went downstairs to the line of cars awaiting the senators to come out , hopped into his and motored away from the Capitol .
`` It 'd be hard to blame him if he wanted to sort of avoid a lot of us for a while , ” said Sen. Kevin Cramer , who sits in the back of the Senate chamber near Romney .
“ It might have been awkward , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best to not make it that way .
We all need each other too much in the Senate .
”

Ledyard King, Maureen Groppe and Christal Hayes, USA TODAY

GOP Sen. Romney faces awkwardness, 'abuse' for defying Trump on impeachment
Show Caption Hide Caption Mitt Romney chokes up explaining his impeachment vote to convict Trump Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, gives emotional explanation of his decision to vote to convict President Trump in impeachment trial USA TODAY, Associated Press
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mitt Romney sat sternly with his hands clasped in his lap Wednesday as Republican colleagues to his left and right stood up and declared President Donald Trump “not guilty” on two articles of impeachment.
One of the last to enter the Senate chamber before the historic vote, Romney had, less than three hours before, announced he would be the only member of the president’s party not to acquit him on both charges. Trump, the senator concluded, had committed an act so extreme and egregious it could not be ignored.
Wearing a navy blue suit with an American flag pin, Romney had not been greeted by his colleagues and did not boast a smile as the voting began.
When the trial ended, the Utah senator was the first to depart.
Impeachment vote: "Appalling abuse": Sen. Mitt Romney votes to convict President Trump on abuse of power charge
Romney hadn’t gamed out how to navigate what would come next.
After he’d announced his decision, Romney’s chief of staff told him it was time to shift to the second part of the plan – dealing with the backlash.
“Oh? What’s that?” Romney asked.
"We don’t have one,” the aide responded, according to Romney.
Presidential impeachment: Clinton, Johnson, Nixon test U.S. democracy Presidents have been impeached, but none have been removed from office due to impeachment. Confusing? Here's how. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Dwindling voices of dissent
Romney’s decision to become the first senator in U.S. history to vote for removal of a president of his own party now makes him a test case on whether the GOP is willing to accommodate dissent against a president who demands loyalty.
Romney joined Senate Democrats in voting to convict on an article accusing Trump of abusing his power by trying to pressure Ukraine into announcing investigations of political rivals, including former Vice President Joe Biden, in exchange for releasing nearly $400 million in military aid. Romney voted against the second article charging Trump with obstruction of Congress. Trump was acquitted on both articles.
Read Romney's full speech: Utah senator explains decision to vote to convict Trump
There aren’t a lot of alternative voices left in the GOP since Trump took office three years ago. Gone from the Senate are John McCain of Arizona, Bob Corker of Tennessee and Jeff Flake of Arizona. Trump’s most outspoken conservative critic in the House, Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, left the GOP last year to become an independent.
Romney entered the Senate last year with the clout of having been the party’s 2012 nominee and the freedom of coming from a state that, while heavily Republican, is not in lockstep with Trump. And most in his party had accepted his criticism of Trump over the years, even if many did not agree.
Wednesday’ impeachment vote felt different. And the criticism was swift and harsh.
Broadside from Trump at prayer breakfast
The president’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted that Romney was "bitter" over his failed 2012 president bid and intent on impressing elites and the mainstream media. He added that Romney was officially "a member the resistance & should be expelled from the @GOP.”
On Thursday, Trump began his own onslaught against Romney.
"I don't like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong," Trump said at the National Prayer Breakfast, a high-profile gathering of hundreds of faith leaders from around the country.
Though he did not mention Romney by name at the breakfast, there was no mistaking the target. The senator, a devout Mormon, had said in his floor speech that his "oath before God" was at the heart of his decision on impeachment.
Later, at a White House event to celebrate his acquittal, Trump was more direct, suggesting Romney was disgruntled over not having won the White House.
“Things can happen when you fail so badly,” Trump said. “I’m sorry about Mitt Romney.”
Matt Schlapp, head of the American Conservative Union and a staunch Trump ally, said Utah now has a “big problem” that his group would like to help fix.
“#DumpRomney,” tweeted Schlapp who had already banned Romney from attending this year’s gathering of conservative activists after Romney was one of only two Republican senators to vote for witnesses at the Senate impeachment trial.
'Another day and another vote'
Romney's Senate colleagues were generally more muted in their response, saying it would not be productive to ostracize him.
"We don't have any doghouses here," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. He said Romney had been "largely supportive of most everything" on the GOP's congressional agenda.
But McConnell said he wished Romney hadn't voted the way he did.
“I was surprised and disappointed,” the Senate GOP leader said.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a key swing vote who voted to acquit the president, said while she disagreed with Romney, she has "a lot of respect" for him and did not think his decision would make his role in the Republican conference uncomfortable.
"I respect his right to vote his conscience, and I don't think there ought to be retribution," agreed Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, the second most powerful Senate Republican.
Lone ranger: Mitt Romney: a solitary GOP voice battling Trump for the soul of the Republican Party
His GOP colleagues also knew Romney's history as someone who had openly sparred with Trump on his way to the presidency. In 2016, Romney held a news conference to denounce the future president as a "phony" and a "fraud."
"Well, I think he and the president had a little bit of a complicated relationship to start with,” GOP Sen. John Thune of South Dakota said with a smile. “In the (GOP) conference, he’s somebody that we all know is a very independent person. And obviously, you know, we’re going to continue to work with him. There’s always going to be another day and another vote."
Wrestling with arguments, losing sleep
A feeling of “real dread” had swept over Romney when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last fall launched Democrats’ impeachment inquiry.
Romney realized he was going to have to sit in judgment on the leader of his party, someone whose policies he backs the vast majority of the time, and – despite a complicated history with Trump – someone for whom he had “feelings of cordiality.”
“We are collegial,” Romney said of Trump, even though the freshman senator had published an opinion piece when he took office last year warning that Trump “has not risen to the mantle of the office.”
“That’s where he basically said, ‘I want to be kind of the moral voice,’” said Lara Brown, director of George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. Romney was saying, “I agree with Trump on a lot of issues. But this isn't always about issues. This is about principles,” Brown said.
But there’s a canyon of difference between penning an op-ed and voting to find the president guilty of an impeachable offense.
When Trump’s trial began in the Senate, Romney never slept past 4 a.m. His mind churned through the arguments presented by both sides and the consequence of the evidence he was given.
'15 minutes of fame'
At a closed-door Republican lunch during the trial, Romney stood up to address his colleagues. A hush fell over the ornate dining room. Some senators stopped eating. They peered up at the former presidential candidate.
Romney argued that it was important to hear from eye witnesses, such as former national security adviser John Bolton, who could dispute or confirm the accusations against Trump.
After the lunch, Romney was denounced on Twitter by the newest member of the Senate, Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga.
“Sadly, my colleague @SenatorRomney wants to appease the left by calling witnesses who will slander the @realDonaldTrump during their 15 minutes of fame,” Loeffler tweeted.
Loeffler had backed Romney’s 2012 presidential bid, including contributing with her husband a combined $1.5 million to a pro-Romney super PAC, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
“I can’t tell you the number of people who’ve stopped me and said, ‘I gave my largest donation when Mitt Romney was running for president and I really regret that. I don’t understand what he’s doing,’” said David McIntosh, head of the Club for Growth, a conservative group that had opposed Trump’s 2016 bid but now backs his reelection.
During the impeachment process, the group aired ads in Utah to warn Romney and “probably half a dozen colleagues in the Senate” they were being closely watched, McIntosh said.
Bill Kristol, a leader of the conservative resistance to Trump, had offered “a little bit of backup” for Romney in ads run in Utah and some other states urging Republicans to “let Bolton testify.”
“It doesn’t hurt for there to be a little bit of messaging on his side,” Kristol said. “For me, the story has always been the Republicans on the Hill and the pretty amazing degree to which they have decided to just capitulate to Trump.”
Dear fellow Republicans
In letters he gave to each of his GOP colleague before his floor speech, Romney wrote of the role his faith had played in his thinking on impeachment.
“I am a profoundly religious person,” he wrote at the top of the letters, which were signed with blue ink and delivered to senators' boxes in the cloakroom.
During his speech, the Utah senator choked up for a few seconds as he explained how his Christian background affected his vote.
"The allegations made in the articles of impeachment are very serious," he said. "As a Senator-juror, I swore an oath, before God, to exercise 'impartial justice.' I am a profoundly religious person. I take an oath before God as enormously consequential. I knew from the outset that being tasked with judging the president, the leader of my own party, would be the most difficult decision I have ever faced. I was not wrong."
He'd reached his conclusion after senators had a chance to ask questions of both sides last week and started drafting what he would say to explain a vote that "will have impact on me and my family for a long, long time to come."
“I am sure to hear abuse from the president and his supporters,” Romney said in his floor remarks. “Does anyone seriously believe I would consent to these consequences other than from an inescapable conviction that my oath before God demanded it of me?”
'We all need each other'
After the votes were cast and counted over and the president had been acquitted, Romney quietly rose from his desk and left chamber into an uncertain political future.
He went downstairs to the line of cars awaiting the senators to come out, hopped into his and motored away from the Capitol.
"It'd be hard to blame him if he wanted to sort of avoid a lot of us for a while,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, who sits in the back of the Senate chamber near Romney. “It might have been awkward, but I would have tried to do my best to not make it that way. We all need each other too much in the Senate.”
Contributing: Nicholas Wu, Savannah Behrmann


usatoday--2020-02-07--Bernie Sanders declares 'decisive victory' in Iowa caucuses, rips results reporting 'screw-up'

MANCHESTER , N.H. — Three days after the Iowa Democratic caucuses , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders claimed a `` decisive victory '' Thursday , pointing to his 6,000-vote lead in raw popular votes in the first alignment and downplaying partial results that show a tiny lead for former Mayor Pete Buttigieg in state equivalent delegates .
`` We are holding a press conference that should have occurred three nights ago in Des Moines , but for the inability of the Iowa Democratic Party to count votes in a timely fashion , '' Sanders told reporters packed inside his New Hampshire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been extremely unfair to the people of Iowa , it has been unfair to all of the candidates and all of their supporters .
So what I want to do , three days late , is thank the people of Iowa for the very strong victory they gave us Monday night . ''
Sanders ' pronouncement comes as Iowa results are still not fully counted following the malfunction of a cell phone app used to report results .
A backup phone line for results was also clogged as precinct chairs tried to call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of South Bend , Indiana , was the first to claim victory on caucus night due to his lead in state delegate equivalents , which are tied to the number of delegates to the state convention each candidate earned on caucus night .
But Sanders has slowly closed the gap in Buttigieg 's lead in SDEs and has maintained a lead in the popular vote tallies since results began trickling out Tuesday .
More : What really went wrong on Iowa caucus night ?
Inside the problems that led to results being delayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just minutes after National Democratic Party Chair Tom Perez called for a `` re-canvass '' of the Iowa caucus results .
`` We won an 8-person election by some 6,000 votes .
That is not going to be changed , '' Sanders said in response to the party chair 's push for a recanvass .
`` What may be changed in this so-called recount is a few SDEs . ''
Sanders bemoaned what he called an `` enormously complicated '' caucus system .
He said the true measuring stick for victory is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` some 6,000 more Iowans came out on caucus night to support our candidacy than the candidacy of anyone else . ''
`` And when 6,000 more people come out for you in an election then your nearest opponent , then we here in northern New England call that a victory . ''
More : A New Hampshire primary win is key for multiple Democrats .
Here 's what we know That 6,000 number refers to the lead Sanders had in the first preference alignment Monday night .
He also holds a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ totals .
Sanders called state delegate equivalents the preference of `` cable news and political pundits , '' but said they have `` greatly diminished significance '' than previous elections because of party rule changes .
He said `` mathematical problems '' identified by the Sanders campaign could mean he actually ends up topping Buttigeig in SDEs , but that tally is `` meaningless '' because he and Buttigieg will ultimately end up tied in the number of national delegates , which determine the eventual nominee .
`` At the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will almost definitely happen is Mr. Buttigieg and I will end up with the same number of delegates ... Ai n't gon na change .
And what will certainly not change is that in terms of the popular vote , we won a decisive victory , '' Sanders said .
Buttigieg has enjoyed an 8-percentage point bounce in New Hampshire following his performance in Iowa , according to a Suffolk University poll that showed him with support from 19 percent of likely New Hampshire primary voters .
But he still trails Sanders ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released Wednesday showed Sanders surging since last month , gaining 6 percentage points and leading all of his competitors .

Bernie Sanders declares 'decisive victory' in Iowa caucuses, rips results reporting 'screw-up'
Show Caption Hide Caption Iowa caucus: DNC chair Tom Perez calls for recanvass Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez calls for a closer look at the Iowa Caucuses results, as Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders lead. USA TODAY
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Three days after the Iowa Democratic caucuses, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders claimed a "decisive victory" Thursday, pointing to his 6,000-vote lead in raw popular votes in the first alignment and downplaying partial results that show a tiny lead for former Mayor Pete Buttigieg in state equivalent delegates.
"We are holding a press conference that should have occurred three nights ago in Des Moines, but for the inability of the Iowa Democratic Party to count votes in a timely fashion," Sanders told reporters packed inside his New Hampshire campaign headquarters.
"That screw-up has been extremely unfair to the people of Iowa, it has been unfair to all of the candidates and all of their supporters. So what I want to do, three days late, is thank the people of Iowa for the very strong victory they gave us Monday night."
Sanders' pronouncement comes as Iowa results are still not fully counted following the malfunction of a cell phone app used to report results. A backup phone line for results was also clogged as precinct chairs tried to call in results. Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was the first to claim victory on caucus night due to his lead in state delegate equivalents, which are tied to the number of delegates to the state convention each candidate earned on caucus night.
But Sanders has slowly closed the gap in Buttigieg's lead in SDEs and has maintained a lead in the popular vote tallies since results began trickling out Tuesday.
More: What really went wrong on Iowa caucus night? Inside the problems that led to results being delayed
The Vermont senator's declaration also came just minutes after National Democratic Party Chair Tom Perez called for a "re-canvass" of the Iowa caucus results.
"We won an 8-person election by some 6,000 votes. That is not going to be changed," Sanders said in response to the party chair's push for a recanvass. "What may be changed in this so-called recount is a few SDEs."
Sanders bemoaned what he called an "enormously complicated" caucus system. He said the true measuring stick for victory is that, out of 180,000 total Iowa voters, "some 6,000 more Iowans came out on caucus night to support our candidacy than the candidacy of anyone else."
"And when 6,000 more people come out for you in an election then your nearest opponent, then we here in northern New England call that a victory."
More: A New Hampshire primary win is key for multiple Democrats. Here's what we know
Iowa caucus: Just how much influence does it have on the primary? The Iowa caucus is sure to be competitive this year. But what makes caucuses different from primaries? Just the FAQs
That 6,000 number refers to the lead Sanders had in the first preference alignment Monday night. He also holds a lead of thousands in the final alignment totals. Sanders called state delegate equivalents the preference of "cable news and political pundits," but said they have "greatly diminished significance" than previous elections because of party rule changes.
He said "mathematical problems" identified by the Sanders campaign could mean he actually ends up topping Buttigeig in SDEs, but that tally is "meaningless" because he and Buttigieg will ultimately end up tied in the number of national delegates, which determine the eventual nominee.
"At the end of the day, what I expect, what will almost definitely happen is Mr. Buttigieg and I will end up with the same number of delegates ... Ain't gonna change. And what will certainly not change is that in terms of the popular vote, we won a decisive victory," Sanders said.
Buttigieg has enjoyed an 8-percentage point bounce in New Hampshire following his performance in Iowa, according to a Suffolk University poll that showed him with support from 19 percent of likely New Hampshire primary voters. But he still trails Sanders' 25 percent.
A Monmouth University poll released Wednesday showed Sanders surging since last month, gaining 6 percentage points and leading all of his competitors.
Reach Joey Garrison and on Twitter @joeygarrison.


usatoday--2020-02-07--Iowa Democrats say they were inundated with outside calls that clogged caucus results reporting

DES MOINES — Iowa Democratic Party officials say their call center was inundated with outside calls on caucus night that contributed to the delay in results .
`` On Caucus Day , the Iowa Democratic Party experienced an unusually high volume of inbound phone calls to its caucus hotline , including supporters of President Trump , '' Mandy McClure , communications director for the party , said in a statement to the Des Moines Register .
`` The unexplained , and at times hostile , calls contributed to the delay in the Iowa Democratic Party ’ s collection of results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ integrity of information gathered or the accuracy of data sets reported.
” Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand separately told the Register that he was one of dozens of people answering phones in the so-called “ boiler room ” where volunteers with the Iowa Democratic Party were processing caucus results .
Sand said it became apparent that people other than Iowa precinct leaders were using the results lines .
“ It just became very clear that members of the public in general had started calling , ” he said .
Some were demanding caucus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matches what Iowa Democratic Party leaders told some Iowa Democrats on a conference call Wednesday night , according to two people on the line and other media 's reporting .
The state party officials told members of the state central committee that the call center was inundated with calls from people who were not tasked with reporting results .
NBC News reported on Thursday that the party hotline number used for reporting caucus results was posted on 4chan , a fringe internet message board , with instructions to `` clog the lines .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the outsiders long enough to know whether they were affiliated with anyone , since his focus was on collecting precinct results .
“ I mean , there was a string where like three calls in a row were people who clearly were not in the state of Iowa , '' Sand said .
Sand said the pace of calls at the height of activity was non-stop .
As quickly as he would hang up the phone , another call came in .
“ I don ’ t think that the term ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in describing the night .
An Iowa Democratic Party official said from the outset , there was an unusually high volume of calls compared to previous caucus years .
It included callers who would hang up immediately , who expressed displeasure with the Democratic Party , and people seeking to confirm caucus results .
According to the IDP official , repeat callers were blocked .
Sand said he had people try to report false precinct results to him , but that additional fail-safes , such as specific codes for precincts , made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The hotline was never supposed to be public , he said , so there was n't a code people needed to enter to get through to the operator .
`` Until , at some point obviously in the night , it became public , '' Sand said .
The Democratic state auditor did not have a favorite in the presidential race , so he did not caucus .
He described the hotline room as a series of phonebanks , not dissimilar to a TV charity fundraiser .
About 40 or 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joining through the night .
The Iowa Democrats in 2016 used an automated phone system that precinct chairs could call results into if they did n't want to or could n't use the software application developed by Microsoft specifically for that cycle , said Andy McGuire , who was the 2016 Iowa Democratic Party chair .
In 2016 , precinct chairs only needed to report one number — the number of delegates awarded at the precinct .
This year , the Democratic Party public reported the number of delegates earned as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in two preference tallies .
That means the tally numbers are n't exactly the same , McGuire said .
Still , the automated phone system made for relatively smooth reporting in 2016 .
About half the chairs called in results via the automated phone system , and the rest used the Microsoft app , she said .
The year , the different app failed to transmit results .
And the party did not use an automated phone system this time , Sand said .
Barbara Rodriguez covers health care and politics for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email at bcrodriguez @ registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8011 .
Follow her on Twitter @ bcrodriguez .

Iowa Democrats say they were inundated with outside calls that clogged caucus results reporting
Show Caption Hide Caption Video: Hundreds of people caucused at Des Moines' 55th precinct Des Moines' 55th precinct saw around 800 people come out to caucus on Monday, Feb. 3 The Des Moines Register
DES MOINES — Iowa Democratic Party officials say their call center was inundated with outside calls on caucus night that contributed to the delay in results.
"On Caucus Day, the Iowa Democratic Party experienced an unusually high volume of inbound phone calls to its caucus hotline, including supporters of President Trump," Mandy McClure, communications director for the party, said in a statement to the Des Moines Register.
"The unexplained, and at times hostile, calls contributed to the delay in the Iowa Democratic Party’s collection of results, but in no way affected the integrity of information gathered or the accuracy of data sets reported.”
Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand separately told the Register that he was one of dozens of people answering phones in the so-called “boiler room” where volunteers with the Iowa Democratic Party were processing caucus results.
Sand said it became apparent that people other than Iowa precinct leaders were using the results lines.
“It just became very clear that members of the public in general had started calling,” he said. Some were demanding caucus results, he said.
More: DNC chair calls for recanvass of Iowa caucus results
His recollection matches what Iowa Democratic Party leaders told some Iowa Democrats on a conference call Wednesday night, according to two people on the line and other media's reporting. The state party officials told members of the state central committee that the call center was inundated with calls from people who were not tasked with reporting results.
NBC News reported on Thursday that the party hotline number used for reporting caucus results was posted on 4chan, a fringe internet message board, with instructions to "clog the lines."
Sand said he did not talk to the outsiders long enough to know whether they were affiliated with anyone, since his focus was on collecting precinct results.
“I mean, there was a string where like three calls in a row were people who clearly were not in the state of Iowa," Sand said.
Iowa Democratic Party apologizes for the delay in caucus results release Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party Troy Price addressed caucus results at 4 P.M. CT Tuesday. Olivia Sun, Des Moines Register
Sand said the pace of calls at the height of activity was non-stop. As quickly as he would hang up the phone, another call came in.
“I don’t think that the term ‘flood’ is unrealistic,” he said in describing the night.
An Iowa Democratic Party official said from the outset, there was an unusually high volume of calls compared to previous caucus years. It included callers who would hang up immediately, who expressed displeasure with the Democratic Party, and people seeking to confirm caucus results.
According to the IDP official, repeat callers were blocked.
Sand said he had people try to report false precinct results to him, but that additional fail-safes, such as specific codes for precincts, made the attempt "laughable," he said.
The hotline was never supposed to be public, he said, so there wasn't a code people needed to enter to get through to the operator.
Iowa caucus: Just how much influence does it have on the primary? The Iowa caucus is sure to be competitive this year. But what makes caucuses different from primaries? Just the FAQs
"Until, at some point obviously in the night, it became public," Sand said. The Democratic state auditor did not have a favorite in the presidential race, so he did not caucus.
He described the hotline room as a series of phonebanks, not dissimilar to a TV charity fundraiser. About 40 or 50 people worked the hotline, with more joining through the night.
The Iowa Democrats in 2016 used an automated phone system that precinct chairs could call results into if they didn't want to or couldn't use the software application developed by Microsoft specifically for that cycle, said Andy McGuire, who was the 2016 Iowa Democratic Party chair.
In 2016, precinct chairs only needed to report one number — the number of delegates awarded at the precinct. This year, the Democratic Party public reported the number of delegates earned as well as the number of supporters each candidate had in two preference tallies. That means the tally numbers aren't exactly the same, McGuire said.
Still, the automated phone system made for relatively smooth reporting in 2016. About half the chairs called in results via the automated phone system, and the rest used the Microsoft app, she said.
The year, the different app failed to transmit results. And the party did not use an automated phone system this time, Sand said.
Barbara Rodriguez covers health care and politics for the Register. She can be reached by email at bcrodriguez@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8011. Follow her on Twitter @bcrodriguez.


usatoday--2020-02-09--Sanders leads polls ahead of New Hampshire primary, while Buttigieg climbs and Biden nosedives

Sen. Bernie Sanders continues to lead in polling ahead of New Hampshire 's primary Tuesday while former South Bend , Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg has surged into second place .
The polls show Buttigieg has growing support from New Hampshire voters while former Vice President Joe Biden has tumbled in recent Granite State polls .
The results from Iowa 's caucuses last week are still not official after delays and inconsistencies with the vote count , but Buttigieg 's strong finish there appears to have given his campaign a bounce heading into New Hampshire .
Buttigieg and Sanders have both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is undergoing a precinct review state Democrats said will be completed Monday .
A look at the polls A poll from CNN and the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released Sunday found that 28 % of likely primary voters favor Sanders , while 21 % plan to vote for Buttigieg and 12 % plan to vote for Biden .
Nine percent said they would back Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts , 6 % said they plan to vote for Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota , 5 % were for Rep. Tulsi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entrepreneur Andrew Yang and 2 % were for billionaire Tom Steyer .
The other candidates came in at 1 % or less .
A CBS News/YouGov poll released Sunday found the race even tighter , with Sanders the choice of 29 % of likely voters in New Hampshire 's Democratic primary and Buttigieg favored by 25 % .
That poll found Warren ( 19 % ) in third ahead of Biden ( 12 % ) and Klobuchar ( 10 % ) .
The CBS News and CNN polls were conducted from Feb. 5-8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points , while the CNN poll 's margin of error was plus or minus 5 percentage points .
A pair of tracking polls conducted since Friday night 's Democratic debate found Klobuchar was the only candidate to get a noticeable boost from her debate performance .
Emerson College 's tracking poll with News 7 found Sanders leading at 30 % on Sunday , followed by Buttigieg ( 20 % ) , Klobuchar ( 13 % ) , Warren ( 12 % ) and Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a four-point jump for Klobuchar and a four-point drop for Buttigieg from the previous poll , which was conducted before the debate .
A WBZ/Boston Globe/Suffolk University tracking poll – two-thirds of which was conducted during and after the debate – found a three-point boost for Klobuchar to 9 % from 6 % in the previous day 's poll .
But she still trailed Sanders ( 24 % ) followed by Buttigieg at 22 % ( down from 25 % the day before ) , Warren ( 13 % ) and Biden ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attack With his boost in the polls , Buttigieg has come under fire from both Sanders and Biden .
The 2020 candidates : Who is running for president ?
An interactive guide Biden 's campaign released an ad on Saturday that paints Buttigieg as an inexperienced smalltown mayor who is unqualified for the White House .
`` It 's a typical political attack , '' Buttigieg said on CNN 's `` State of the Union '' Sunday .
`` And it 's too bad , because so many communities , communities like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we might look small from the perspective of Washington , but , to us , it 's what 's going on in Washington that looks so small and small-minded . ''
Biden said on ABC News ' `` This Week '' that he was defending himself from Buttigieg who he said unfairly blamed the Obama administration for many of the country 's current problems .
'Stakes are incredibly high ' : New Hampshire voters feel the pressure as primary looms '' Let 's get something straight here , '' Biden said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pete 's been attacking me . ''
`` I do n't understand , when they talk about the past , why Barack was such a lousy president .
I thought he was a pretty damn good president , '' Biden said .
`` But that 's the implication . ''
On CNN , Buttigieg explained that his argument was not meant as a criticism of the Obama administration but a call for a new approach .
`` This is n't 2008 .
It 's 2020 .
And we are in a new moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership , '' he said .
Sanders has gone after Buttigieg for accepting campaign contributions from wealthy and corporate donors .
`` If you do , as Mayor Buttigieg does , take huge amounts of contributions from the CEOs of the pharmaceutical industry , from financiers in the fossil fuel industry , from the insurance companies , from Wall Street , does anyone seriously believe that you 're going to stand up to those powerful entities and represent working people ? ''
Sanders asked `` Fox News Sunday '' host Chris Wallace .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would happily accept a contribution from him , '' Buttigieg said on CNN .
`` This is the fight of our lives .
I 'm not a fan of the current campaign finance system , but I 'm also insistent that we have got to go into this with all of the support we can get . ''
What we know : A New Hampshire primary win is key for multiple Democrats In an apparent dig at Sanders , Buttigieg said he was `` concerned about a message that says , 'if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must be for the status quo , ' because I think that leaves most people out . ''
2020 candidates on the issues : A voter 's guide to where they stand on health care , gun control and more

Sanders leads polls ahead of New Hampshire primary, while Buttigieg climbs and Biden nosedives
Show Caption Hide Caption Democratic debate post-Iowa had candidates trading blows in New Hampshire The debate between the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary had some Democratic candidates landing blows, and some making strides. USA TODAY
Sen. Bernie Sanders continues to lead in polling ahead of New Hampshire's primary Tuesday while former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg has surged into second place.
The polls show Buttigieg has growing support from New Hampshire voters while former Vice President Joe Biden has tumbled in recent Granite State polls.
The results from Iowa's caucuses last week are still not official after delays and inconsistencies with the vote count, but Buttigieg's strong finish there appears to have given his campaign a bounce heading into New Hampshire. Buttigieg and Sanders have both declared victory in that unsettled contest, which is undergoing a precinct review that state Democrats said will be completed Monday.
A look at the polls
A poll from CNN and the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released Sunday found that 28% of likely primary voters favor Sanders, while 21% plan to vote for Buttigieg and 12% plan to vote for Biden. Nine percent said they would back Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, 6% said they plan to vote for Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, 5% were for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, 4% backed entrepreneur Andrew Yang and 2% were for billionaire Tom Steyer. The other candidates came in at 1% or less.
A CBS News/YouGov poll released Sunday found the race even tighter, with Sanders the choice of 29% of likely voters in New Hampshire's Democratic primary and Buttigieg favored by 25%. That poll found Warren (19%) in third ahead of Biden (12%) and Klobuchar (10%).
The CBS News and CNN polls were conducted from Feb. 5-8. The CBS News poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points, while the CNN poll's margin of error was plus or minus 5 percentage points.
A pair of tracking polls conducted since Friday night's Democratic debate found Klobuchar was the only candidate to get a noticeable boost from her debate performance.
Emerson College's tracking poll with News 7 found Sanders leading at 30% on Sunday, followed by Buttigieg (20%), Klobuchar (13%), Warren (12%) and Biden (11%). That represented a four-point jump for Klobuchar and a four-point drop for Buttigieg from the previous poll, which was conducted before the debate.
A WBZ/Boston Globe/Suffolk University tracking poll – two-thirds of which was conducted during and after the debate – found a three-point boost for Klobuchar to 9% from 6% in the previous day's poll. But she still trailed Sanders (24%) followed by Buttigieg at 22% (down from 25% the day before), Warren (13%) and Biden (10%).
How polls work: The science behind gathering voter opinions The news cycle is jampacked with polls. But have you ever wondered how polls actually work and what they mean? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Candidates go on the attack
With his boost in the polls, Buttigieg has come under fire from both Sanders and Biden.
The 2020 candidates: Who is running for president? An interactive guide
Biden's campaign released an ad on Saturday that paints Buttigieg as an inexperienced smalltown mayor who is unqualified for the White House.
"It's a typical political attack," Buttigieg said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday. "And it's too bad, because so many communities, communities like mine in South Bend, we know that we might look small from the perspective of Washington, but, to us, it's what's going on in Washington that looks so small and small-minded."
Biden said on ABC News' "This Week" that he was defending himself from Buttigieg who he said unfairly blamed the Obama administration for many of the country's current problems.
'Stakes are incredibly high': New Hampshire voters feel the pressure as primary looms
"Let's get something straight here," Biden said. "I didn't attack Pete. Pete's been attacking me."
"I don't understand, when they talk about the past, why Barack was such a lousy president. I thought he was a pretty damn good president," Biden said. "But that's the implication."
On CNN, Buttigieg explained that his argument was not meant as a criticism of the Obama administration but a call for a new approach.
"This isn't 2008. It's 2020. And we are in a new moment, calling for a different kind of leadership," he said.
Sanders has gone after Buttigieg for accepting campaign contributions from wealthy and corporate donors.
"If you do, as Mayor Buttigieg does, take huge amounts of contributions from the CEOs of the pharmaceutical industry, from financiers in the fossil fuel industry, from the insurance companies, from Wall Street, does anyone seriously believe that you're going to stand up to those powerful entities and represent working people?" Sanders asked "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace.
"Bernie's pretty rich, and I would happily accept a contribution from him," Buttigieg said on CNN. "This is the fight of our lives. I'm not a fan of the current campaign finance system, but I'm also insistent that we have got to go into this with all of the support we can get."
What we know: A New Hampshire primary win is key for multiple Democrats
In an apparent dig at Sanders, Buttigieg said he was "concerned about a message that says, 'if you're not for revolution, you must be for the status quo,' because I think that leaves most people out."
2020 candidates on the issues: A voter's guide to where they stand on health care, gun control and more


usatoday--2020-02-09--Bills in California, New York seek to ban 'virginity testing'

Lawmakers on opposite sides of the country are considering new legislation that would be the first in the nation to ban `` virginity testing . ''
The two separate bills in the New York and California legislatures were introduced after rapper T.I .
said he subjects his 18-year-old daughter to the examinations .
The practice is widely considered medically unsound and abusive .
`` I want hymen examinations to be a class D felony , '' New York Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages , D-Elmont , told Elle Magazine after she introduced her bill late last year .
`` In a perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to submit legislation like this .
In a perfect world , women are treated as equal beings.
” “ So-called ‘ virginity testing ’ is a form of violence and harassment against young girls and women , ” Gonzalez said in a statement .
“ There is no medical reason for this examination .
It ’ s time for California to listen to calls from the international community and ban this traumatizing , sexist and unnecessary practice.
” Under her proposal , any doctor that either performed or supervised the test could face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hymen is a thin crescent-shaped tissue that stretches around the opening of the vagina .
Virginity tests incorrectly imply that a hymen can either be intact or not intact and can reveal a woman 's sexual experience .
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , hymens come in all shapes and sizes .
Some change shape with penetration and some do not .
Some women do not have them at all .
“ The hymen is nothing like a piece of plastic you can wrap around your food or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brochmann said from the TED stage in Oslo .
She and Ellen Støkken Dahl , who together wrote the book “ The Wonder Down Under : The Insider ’ s Guide to the Anatomy , Biology , and Reality of the Vagina , ” are working to dispel virginity myths .
“ You simply can not look a woman between her legs and read her sexual story.
” In recent years , medical professionals such as Brochmann and Dahl , women ’ s rights advocates around the world and international organizations including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have tried to combat the deeply held misperception with information campaigns and calls for an end to the traumatizing tests .
Researchers in 2017 published a review of 17 studies in the academic journal Reproductive Health that showed virginity testing has no medical utility .
`` Our review found that virginity testing is not good at detecting who has not had sexual intercourse and that it can hurt the person being tested – physically , mentally , and socially , '' the researchers said .
`` Our hope is to make more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harm to women and girls . ''
WHO reports that the tests are still used in 20 countries and that women and girls are often forced to undergo examinations to assess virtue and value .
The tests are also sometimes used to evaluate if a rape has occurred .
Calling the concept of `` virginity '' a `` social , cultural , and religious construct , '' WHO also emphasizes that the practice is a form of gender discrimination that violates women 's and girls ' human rights .
More : Not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for sexist , unscientific 'virginity tests' '' Many women suffer from adverse short- and long-term physical , psychological and social consequences of this practice , '' WHO wrote in an interagency statement with the United Nations calling for a global end to the testing .
`` This includes anxiety , depression and post-traumatic stress .
In extreme cases , women or girls may attempt suicide or be killed in the name of 'honor . '
'' It ’ s difficult to know how prevalent virginity tests are , especially in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether they have been performed .
But a study published in 2017 , researchers surveyed close to 300 gynecologists in the U.S .
Roughly 10 % responded that they 'd been asked to conduct a virginity test , and 3.5 % said they had actually performed one .
Brochmann and Dahl , who join the international bodies and legislators in calls for an end to the tests , explain that in order to truly bring about an end to virginity testing , the ideas that perpetuate the tests must be eradicated .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removing these myths , everything would be OK , that shame , harm and honor killings would all just disappear , '' Dahl said on the TED stage .
`` Sexual oppression of women comes from something much deeper than a simple anatomical misunderstanding about the properties of the hymen .
It 's a question of cultural and religious control of women 's sexuality .
And that is much harder to change –but we must try . ''
Gabrielle Canon covers California for the USA TODAY Network .
You can reach her at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GabrielleCanon .

Bills in California, New York seek to ban 'virginity testing'
Lawmakers on opposite sides of the country are considering new legislation that would be the first in the nation to ban "virginity testing."
The two separate bills in the New York and California legislatures were introduced after rapper T.I. said he subjects his 18-year-old daughter to the examinations. The practice is widely considered medically unsound and abusive.
"I want hymen examinations to be a class D felony," New York Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, D-Elmont, told Elle Magazine after she introduced her bill late last year. "In a perfect world, I wouldn't even have to submit legislation like this. In a perfect world, women are treated as equal beings.”
In California, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, introduced a similar bill on Jan. 8.
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“So-called ‘virginity testing’ is a form of violence and harassment against young girls and women,” Gonzalez said in a statement. “There is no medical reason for this examination. It’s time for California to listen to calls from the international community and ban this traumatizing, sexist and unnecessary practice.”
Under her proposal, any doctor that either performed or supervised the test could face punishment from the medical board.
Myths about virginity fuel the abusive testing
The hymen is a thin crescent-shaped tissue that stretches around the opening of the vagina. Virginity tests incorrectly imply that a hymen can either be intact or not intact and can reveal a woman's sexual experience.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, hymens come in all shapes and sizes. Some change shape with penetration and some do not. Some women do not have them at all.
“The hymen is nothing like a piece of plastic you can wrap around your food or a seal,” Norwegian doctors Nina Dølvik Brochmann said from the TED stage in Oslo. She and Ellen Støkken Dahl, who together wrote the book “The Wonder Down Under: The Insider’s Guide to the Anatomy, Biology, and Reality of the Vagina,” are working to dispel virginity myths. “You simply cannot look a woman between her legs and read her sexual story.”
In recent years, medical professionals such as Brochmann and Dahl, women’s rights advocates around the world and international organizations including the World Health Organization and the United Nations have tried to combat the deeply held misperception with information campaigns and calls for an end to the traumatizing tests.
Researchers in 2017 published a review of 17 studies in the academic journal Reproductive Health that showed virginity testing has no medical utility.
"Our review found that virginity testing is not good at detecting who has not had sexual intercourse and that it can hurt the person being tested – physically, mentally, and socially," the researchers said. "Our hope is to make more people and countries aware of this to prevent harm to women and girls."
WHO reports that the tests are still used in 20 countries and that women and girls are often forced to undergo examinations to assess virtue and value. The tests are also sometimes used to evaluate if a rape has occurred.
Calling the concept of "virginity" a "social, cultural, and religious construct," WHO also emphasizes that the practice is a form of gender discrimination that violates women's and girls' human rights.
More: Not just rapper T.I. : Doctors get requests for sexist, unscientific 'virginity tests'
"Many women suffer from adverse short- and long-term physical, psychological and social consequences of this practice," WHO wrote in an interagency statement with the United Nations calling for a global end to the testing. "This includes anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress. In extreme cases, women or girls may attempt suicide or be killed in the name of 'honor.'"
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Despite scientific evidence, the tests endured
It’s difficult to know how prevalent virginity tests are, especially in the United States, where privacy laws limit disclosure of whether they have been performed. But a study published in 2017, researchers surveyed close to 300 gynecologists in the U.S. Roughly 10% responded that they'd been asked to conduct a virginity test, and 3.5% said they had actually performed one.
Brochmann and Dahl, who join the international bodies and legislators in calls for an end to the tests, explain that in order to truly bring about an end to virginity testing, the ideas that perpetuate the tests must be eradicated.
“We wish we could say that by removing these myths, everything would be OK, that shame, harm and honor killings would all just disappear," Dahl said on the TED stage. "Sexual oppression of women comes from something much deeper than a simple anatomical misunderstanding about the properties of the hymen. It's a question of cultural and religious control of women's sexuality. And that is much harder to change –but we must try."
Gabrielle Canon covers California for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach her at gcanon@gannett.com or on Twitter @GabrielleCanon.


usatoday--2020-02-09--West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin responds to Trump calling him 'weak & corrupt' over impeachment vote

Sen. Joe Manchin defended his vote to convict President Donald Trump on the two articles of impeachment approved by the House after the president attacked him on social media as `` weak '' and `` pathetic . ''
`` Can ’ t say I mind the fact that the great people of West Virginia are furious at their puppet Democrat Senator , Joe Manchin , '' Trump tweeted Saturday night without elaborating on how he had determined the people of Manchin 's state were upset .
`` They will never forget his phony vote on the Impeachment Hoax , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat has worked harder in a bipartisan way in the hopes that you would succeed , '' said Manchin , a moderate Democrat in pro-Trump West Virginia , in response to the president 's attacks .
The president was impeached on articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress stemming from allegations he used miliary aid to pressure Ukraine into opening investigations for his political benefit .
Soon after the allegations surfaced in September , Trump released a readout from a July 25 phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proved he did nothing wrong .
Trump has repeatedly posted tweets calling on people to `` read the transcript '' but Democrats said the phone call – in which he asks Zelensky for a `` favor '' – actually proves Trump 's guilt .
`` All he had to do is read the Transcripts , sadly , which he wouldn ’ t understand anyway , '' Trump said of Manchin in his tweet on Saturday .
On Sunday , Trump mocked Manchin as `` Senator Joe Munchkin '' and repeated his insult of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He could n't understand the transcripts . ''
Read the transcript : The summary of President Trump 's July 25 call with Ukraine president '' I ’ ve read the transcripts thoroughly & listened to the witnesses under oath , '' Manchin replied .
`` Where I come from a person accused defends themselves with witnesses and evidence , '' he added , referring to the White House 's refusal to cooperate with the investigation and its order for administration officials not to testify .
Manchin was one of a handful of Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquittal .
A Democrat from a state that Trump won by 40 percentage points , Manchin has bucked his party before and was the only Democrat to vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh .
`` I am truly struggling with this decision and will come to a conclusion reluctantly , '' Manchin said two days before the impeachment vote .
He even suggested a vote to censure Trump instead of removing him .
But that proposal was quickly rejected by Republicans and all Democrats , including Manchin , voted to convict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manchin by taking credit for one of his legislative accomplishments , which protected a coal miners ' union pension fund from insolvency .
`` I got the Pension Bill approved , Manchin could n't do it , '' Trump tweeted , in an apparent reference to the Bipartisan American Miners Act of 2019 , which Manchin introduced in November .
The bill , which protected the pensions about 100,000 retired coal miners , was passed as an addition to the $ 1.37 trillion spending package approved in December .
Manchin tweeted that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has worked day & night for the last 5 years to secure their healthcare & pensions & it wasn ’ t you . ''
Since his acquittal , Trump has aggressively criticized those who voted for his removal and has conflated the impeachment process with the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election as part of a conspiracy against him .
He has attacked his opponents as `` evil '' and `` scum , '' and has fired administration officials who testified against him in the impeachment inquiry .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dingell , D-Mich. , whose husband , former Rep. John Dingell , died last year .
He said Dingell called him after her husband 's death , `` tears flowing , '' to thank him for `` rolling out the maximum 'Red Carpet , ' '' and implied she acted ungratefully by voting for his impeachment .
In her previous replies to the president 's attacks , Dingell said she was thankful the president ordered flags lowered to half staff to honor her late husband .
But she denied asking for any special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World War II veteran , had earned the honors he was given .
'Some things should be off-limits ' : Dingell calls for civility after Trump 's attack on late husband Trump has touted recent polling as evidence that his acquittal was a political win that will sweep his opponents away .
Manchin and Romney are up for reelection in 2024 .
On Saturday night , Trump shared a clip of Fox News host Jeanine Pirro calling for Romney to be `` removed from office . ''
`` How about you get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
Pirro said in the clip shared by the president .
`` The people in Utah are furious with you , and your dream of endearing yourself to the Trump-hating left is a joke . ''
On Sunday , Trump claimed in his tweets that Romney , like Manchin , did not read the transcript .
`` Romney hurt some very good Republican Senators , and he was wrong about the Impeachment Hoax .
No clue ! ''
in response to Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberley Strassel 's assertion that Romney had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In his speech on the Senate floor explaining how he planned to vote , Romney said Trump 's dealings with Ukraine were far from `` perfect . ''
`` No , it was a flagrant assault on our electoral rights , our national security interests , and our fundamental values , '' Romney said .
He said that many people had called him and texted him to vote with this fellow Republicans , but he said he could not `` ignore the evidence that has been presented , and disregard what I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of me for the sake of a partisan end . ''
`` I am aware that there are people in my party and in my state who will strenuously disapprove of my decision , and in some quarters , I will be vehemently denounced .
I am sure to hear abuse from the President and his supporters , '' Romney said .
`` Does anyone seriously believe I would consent to these consequences other than from an inescapable conviction that my oath before God demanded it of me ? ''
Contributing : Bart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; The Associated Press

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin responds to Trump calling him 'weak & corrupt' over impeachment vote
Show Caption Hide Caption Manchin: Censure may be alternative to impeachment Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia says he is heavily weighing his vote in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump and suggested censure may be a bipartisan alternative. (Feb. 3) AP
Sen. Joe Manchin defended his vote to convict President Donald Trump on the two articles of impeachment approved by the House after the president attacked him on social media as "weak" and "pathetic."
"Can’t say I mind the fact that the great people of West Virginia are furious at their puppet Democrat Senator, Joe Manchin," Trump tweeted Saturday night without elaborating on how he had determined the people of Manchin's state were upset.
"They will never forget his phony vote on the Impeachment Hoax," Trump's tweet continued.
"No Democrat has worked harder in a bipartisan way in the hopes that you would succeed," said Manchin, a moderate Democrat in pro-Trump West Virginia, in response to the president's attacks.
Can’t say I mind the fact that the great people of West Virginia are furious at their puppet Democrat Senator, Joe Manchin. They will never forget his phony vote on the Impeachment Hoax. All he had to do is read the Transcripts, sadly, which he wouldn’t understand anyway..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2020
...But, just like the people of West Virginia will no longer look at weak & pathetic Joe Manchin the same (I got the Pension Bill approved, Manchin couldn’t do it), the wonderful people of Utah will never look at “grandstander” Mitt Romney with anything but contempt & disgust! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2020
The president was impeached on articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress stemming from allegations he used miliary aid to pressure Ukraine into opening investigations for his political benefit.
Soon after the allegations surfaced in September, Trump released a readout from a July 25 phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which he says was "perfect" and proved he did nothing wrong. Trump has repeatedly posted tweets calling on people to "read the transcript" but Democrats said the phone call – in which he asks Zelensky for a "favor" – actually proves Trump's guilt.
"All he had to do is read the Transcripts, sadly, which he wouldn’t understand anyway," Trump said of Manchin in his tweet on Saturday.
On Sunday, Trump mocked Manchin as "Senator Joe Munchkin" and repeated his insult of Manchin's intelligence, tweeting, "He couldn't understand the transcripts."
Read the transcript: The summary of President Trump's July 25 call with Ukraine president
They are really mad at Senator Joe Munchkin in West Virginia. He couldn’t understand the Transcripts. Romney could, but didn’t want to! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2020
"I’ve read the transcripts thoroughly & listened to the witnesses under oath," Manchin replied.
"Where I come from a person accused defends themselves with witnesses and evidence," he added, referring to the White House's refusal to cooperate with the investigation and its order for administration officials not to testify.
I’ve read the transcripts thoroughly & listened to the witnesses under oath. Where I come from a person accused defends themselves with witnesses and evidence. — Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) February 9, 2020
Manchin was one of a handful of Democratic senators who indicated they might vote for acquittal. A Democrat from a state that Trump won by 40 percentage points, Manchin has bucked his party before and was the only Democrat to vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
"I am truly struggling with this decision and will come to a conclusion reluctantly," Manchin said two days before the impeachment vote. He even suggested a vote to censure Trump instead of removing him. But that proposal was quickly rejected by Republicans and all Democrats, including Manchin, voted to convict the president.
Trump also went after Manchin by taking credit for one of his legislative accomplishments, which protected a coal miners' union pension fund from insolvency.
"I got the Pension Bill approved, Manchin couldn't do it," Trump tweeted, in an apparent reference to the Bipartisan American Miners Act of 2019, which Manchin introduced in November. The bill, which protected the pensions about 100,000 retired coal miners, was passed as an addition to the $1.37 trillion spending package approved in December.
Manchin tweeted that the people of West Virginia "know exactly who has worked day & night for the last 5 years to secure their healthcare & pensions & it wasn’t you."
Pres. Trump - no Democrat has worked harder in a bipartisan way in the hopes that you would succeed. The people of WV know exactly who has worked day & night for the last 5 years to secure their healthcare & pensions & it wasn’t you. — Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) February 9, 2020
Since his acquittal, Trump has aggressively criticized those who voted for his removal and has conflated the impeachment process with the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election as part of a conspiracy against him. He has attacked his opponents as "evil" and "scum," and has fired administration officials who testified against him in the impeachment inquiry.
The president also repeated his attacks on Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., whose husband, former Rep. John Dingell, died last year. He said Dingell called him after her husband's death, "tears flowing," to thank him for "rolling out the maximum 'Red Carpet,'" and implied she acted ungratefully by voting for his impeachment.
In her previous replies to the president's attacks, Dingell said she was thankful the president ordered flags lowered to half staff to honor her late husband. But she denied asking for any special treatment and said her husband, a World War II veteran, had earned the honors he was given.
'Some things should be off-limits': Dingell calls for civility after Trump's attack on late husband
Trump has touted recent polling as evidence that his acquittal was a political win that will sweep his opponents away.
Crazy Nancy Pelosi’s Impeachment Hoax has lifted Republican Congressional Polls (she lost the House once before!), and my Polls, WAY UP, which was expected, but it has had a great effect on Republican Senate races, including North Carolina, Kentucky, Colorado and Arizona. Thanks! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2020
Manchin and Romney are up for reelection in 2024.
On Saturday night, Trump shared a clip of Fox News host Jeanine Pirro calling for Romney to be "removed from office."
"How about you get the hell out of the United States Senate?" Pirro said in the clip shared by the president. "The people in Utah are furious with you, and your dream of endearing yourself to the Trump-hating left is a joke."
On Sunday, Trump claimed in his tweets that Romney, like Manchin, did not read the transcript.
"Romney hurt some very good Republican Senators, and he was wrong about the Impeachment Hoax. No clue!" in response to Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberley Strassel's assertion that Romney had hurt GOP senators facing tough reelection fights.
Romney hurt some very good Republican Senators, and he was wrong about the Impeachment Hoax. No clue! https://t.co/J6rtaZYYxD — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2020
In his speech on the Senate floor explaining how he planned to vote, Romney said Trump's dealings with Ukraine were far from "perfect."
"No, it was a flagrant assault on our electoral rights, our national security interests, and our fundamental values," Romney said. He said that many people had called him and texted him to vote with this fellow Republicans, but he said he could not "ignore the evidence that has been presented, and disregard what I believe my oath and the Constitution demands of me for the sake of a partisan end."
"I am aware that there are people in my party and in my state who will strenuously disapprove of my decision, and in some quarters, I will be vehemently denounced. I am sure to hear abuse from the President and his supporters," Romney said. "Does anyone seriously believe I would consent to these consequences other than from an inescapable conviction that my oath before God demanded it of me?"
Contributing: Bart Jansen and Christal Hayes, USA TODAY; The Associated Press