Mitt Romney, the Republican Senator from Utah and a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, has accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of engaging in “political malpractice” by pursuing criminal charges against Trump. According to Romney, Bragg should have settled the case against Trump, as is typically done, instead of making a political decision. Speaking with his biographer, McKay Coppins of The Atlantic, Romney expressed concern that while Bragg may have won this battle, he may have lost the political war. He believes that Democrats are underestimating the power of the Trump phenomenon and that attempting to extinguish it with political maneuvering is a mistake.
This is not the first time Romney has criticized the handling of Trump’s legal issues. Last month, he expressed bewilderment at President Biden’s failure to pardon Trump when federal indictments were brought against him. In an interview with MSNBC’s “The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle,” Romney stated that if he were President Biden, he would have immediately pardoned Trump to avoid the legal proceedings. He argued that such a pardon would have elevated Biden’s status as the “big guy” who pardoned a “little guy.”
Romney has been consistent in his criticism of Trump, having supported both impeachments against him in 2020 and 2021. The recent conviction of Trump on 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records in connection with the 2016 presidential election has only added fuel to the fire. These charges stem from a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep her silent about an alleged affair with Trump.
Despite the conviction, Trump remains defiant and has vowed to appeal the decision. He sees the legal battle as an opportunity to defend the Constitution and has expressed his honor in being part of it. Meanwhile, Bragg’s office has not yet responded to the accusations made by Romney.
The pursuit of criminal charges against Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has raised questions about the motivations behind such a move. While some see it as justice being served, others, like Mitt Romney, view it as a political decision that may have unintended consequences. The ongoing legal battle between Trump and the Manhattan DA’s office continues to generate interest and speculation. Only time will tell how this high-profile case will play out and what impact it will have on the broader political landscape.
