An unusual politician came to former President Donald Trump’s defense after a Manhattan jury found him guilty of falsifying business records in a sham trial.
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) criticized progressive Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for politically persecuting the former president.
Romney, a long-time Trump critic, accused Bragg of committing “political malpractice,” arguing that the case should have been settled without a trial.
“Bragg should have settled the case against Trump, as would have been the normal procedure. But he made a political decision," Romney told Atlantic writer and biographer McKay Coppins.
Romney warned that Bragg would lose the political battle come November 5, suggesting that indicting Trump would create a headache for the Democratic Party.
“Bragg may have won the battle, for now, but he may have lost the political war," he continued. "Democrats think they can put out the Trump fire with oxygen. It's political malpractice."
Last month, Romney criticized President Joe Biden for not pardoning Trump when the indictments were first handed down to him. The Republican argued that Biden should "have fought like crazy” to keep the left from moving forward with its political persecution of Trump.
“Had I been President Biden, when the Justice Department brought on indictments, I would have immediately pardoned him,” Romney said in an interview with MSNBC. "Because it makes me, President Biden, the big guy and the person [who] pardoned a little guy.”
Other top Utah Republicans weighed in on the unprecedented Thursday verdict, with state Gov. Spencer Cox calling it a "dark day for our country."
Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) blamed the outcome of the trial on "a political and biased judge."
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) pointed fingers at "unclear charges and irregular jury instructions," calling the case "political prosecution."