Sen. Sherrod Brown Sherrod Campbell BrownEmboldened Democrats haggle over 2021 agenda Hillicon Valley: Russia 'amplifying' concerns around mail-in voting to undermine election | Facebook and Twitter take steps to limit Trump remarks on voting | Facebook to block political ads ahead of election Top Democrats press Trump to sanction Russian individuals over 2020 election interference efforts MORE (D-Ohio) condemned Senate Republicans on Wednesday for acquitting President Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE during last week’s impeachment trial and refusing to criticize his retaliation against witnesses who testified about his conduct.

Brown blasted his GOP colleagues for refusing to remove Trump from office and accused them of giving the president to “a permanent license to turn the presidency and the executive branch into his own personal vengeance operation.”

“If we say nothing, it will get worse. His behavior will get worse. The retribution tour will continue. We all know that,” Brown said at the start of a Senate Banking Committee, on which Brown is the ranking member.

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Brown’s criticism comes a day after four Justice Department prosecutors resigned from the federal sentencing of longtime informal Trump adviser Roger Stone Roger Jason StoneJustice IG investigating Stone sentencing: report Romney says Trump's protest tweets 'clearly intended to further inflame racial tensions' Bannon trial date set in alleged border wall scam MORE, likely in protest after Attorney General William Barr Bill BarrBiden rips Barr's comments on coronavirus restrictions as 'sick' OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Cheney asks DOJ to probe environmental groups | Kudlow: 'No sector worse hurt than energy' during pandemic | Trump pledges 'no politics' in Pebble Mine review Cheney asks DOJ to probe environmental groups MORE stepped in to prevent a steep jail sentence.

Trump on Tuesday also withdrew the nomination of Jessie Liu, the former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, to a post in the Treasury Department. Liu oversaw the case against Stone until Jan. 31 and was scheduled to testify before the Banking panel Thursday on her nomination to be under secretary for terrorism and financial crimes.

Brown also denounced Trump’s dismissal of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman Alexander VindmanImpeachment witness Alexander Vindman calls Trump Putin's 'useful idiot' The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump, Biden renew push for Latino support Strzok: Trump behaving like an authoritarian MORE from the National Security Council (NSC) and Gordon Sondland Gordon SondlandGOP chairman vows to protect whistleblowers following Vindman retirement over 'bullying' Top Democrat slams Trump's new EU envoy: Not 'a political donor's part-time job' Trump names new EU envoy, filling post left vacant by impeachment witness Sondland MORE, the former U.S. ambassador to the European Union, earlier this week. Both had testified before House lawmakers about Trump’s dealings with Ukraine that led to his impeachment on two articles in December. The Senate acquitted Trump on both articles on Feb. 5.

“It's pretty clear the president of the United States did learn a lesson,” Brown said. “He can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He can abuse his office. He'll never ever be held accountable by this Senate.”

White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien denied Tuesday that Vindman’s dismissal was retaliation, saying "their services were no longer needed.”

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But Trump also dismissed Vindman’s brother, Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, from the NSC and suggested Alexander Vindman face disciplinary action from the Defense Department.

"We sent him on his way to a much different location, and the military can handle him any way they want. Gen. Milley has him now. I congratulate Gen. Milley. He can have him," Trump said, referring to Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Brown’s Wednesday rebuke of the Senate GOP follows an op-ed published in the New York Times last week in which he criticized his Republican colleagues for privately admitting Trump’s guilt but refusing to vote to remove him.

“For the stay-in-office-at-all-cost representatives and senators, fear is the motivator,” Brown wrote.

The Ohio senator had briefly considered a bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination after immense pressure from Democrats who were concerned with the party’s prospects in the Midwest.

Brown decided against running for president in early 2019 after launching an exploratory committee and touring the country with stump speeches focused on restoring “the dignity of work.”