Sen. Mitt Romney
Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyImpeachment without conviction plays right into Trump's hands Biden's sloppy launch may cost him Election agency limps into 2020 cycle MORE (R-Utah) said Friday that he is "sickened" by the behavior described in special counsel Robert Mueller
Robert (Bob) Swan MuellerSasse: US should applaud choice of Mueller to lead Russia probe MORE's report, including the actions of President Trump
Donald John TrumpPrevention is a critical tool in the fight against addiction USMCA is a needed reprieve from Trump-induced uncertainty Sam Donaldson slams Sarah Sanders: She's had 'a lifetime achievement Oscar for lying' MORE.
"I am sickened at the extent and pervasiveness of dishonesty and misdirection by individuals in the highest office of the land, including the President," Romney said in a statement posted to Twitter.
Romney's comments came a day after Attorney General William Barr
William Pelham BarrBill Maher hits Mueller after report: 'Prosecutor Jesus' didn't leave adequate road map for impeachment Impeachment without conviction plays right into Trump's hands White House says former official can speak to Oversight panel next week MORE released the 448-page report detailing Mueller's findings from his probe into the 2016 election and the Trump campaign as well as his conclusion that Congress may probe potential obstruction of justice.
I have now read the redacted Mueller report and offer my personal reaction: pic.twitter.com/ACnExskqXJ
— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) April 19, 2019
Mueller's report details various instances in which White House aides acted to protect the president and themselves by ignoring certain directives from Trump involving probes around his campaign and administration.
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"Reading the report is a sobering revelation of how far we have strayed from the aspirations and principles of the founders," Romney said Friday.
While the report found no collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, it went into extensive detail about Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, including documenting "numerous links" and conversations between Trump campaign officials and Moscow.
"Although ... the Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities," Mueller wrote.
Romney, in his statement Friday, said that he was "appalled" that members of the Trump campaign would welcome help from Russian officials.
"I am appalled that, among other things, fellow citizens working in a campaign for president welcomed help from Russia—including information that had been illegally obtained; that none of them acted to inform American law enforcement," Romney said.
Romney's pushback against the behavior of Trump and White House aides described in Mueller's report comes as Senate Republicans, who are scattered around the country because of the two-week holiday recess, have largely stopped short of weighing in on the details of the report.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSchumer says McConnell has turned Senate into a 'legislative graveyard' Pelosi blasts McConnell for not taking up House bills Overnight Defense: Watchdog clears defense chief in ethics probe | Pentagon to handle security background checks | Senate to take up Trump's Yemen veto next week MORE (R-Ky.) said Thursday that he would be "carefully reviewing" the report.
And Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamImpeachment without conviction plays right into Trump's hands Overnight Energy: Critics accuse EPA of weakening pollution rule for Pentagon | Booker unveils environmental justice initiative | House to vote on climate bill next week Graham jokes: If you said 'Mueller thinks climate change is a hoax,' then Trump would believe in it MORE (R-S.C.), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, used his initial statement on the report to praise Barr, who has become the focus of Democratic ire over his handling of Mueller's findings.
Romney added Friday that it was "good news that there was insufficient evidence" to charge Trump with conspiring with Russia during the 2016 election or obstructing justice.
"The alternative would have taken us through a wrenching process with the potential for constitutional crisis," he said. "The business of government can move on."