In what is likely a surprise to no one, and solidifies his virtue-signaling to his home state, Senator Mitt Romney said Wednesday that he would vote to convict President Trump of abuse of power, making him the first Republican to support removing Mr. Trump for his bid to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals.

“I think the case was made,” Mr. Romney said in an interview in his Senate office on Wednesday morning, ahead of an afternoon floor speech announcing his stance.

As The New York Times reports, Mr. Romney said he would vote against the second article of impeachment, obstruction of Congress, arguing that House Democrats had failed to exhaust their legal options for securing testimony and other evidence they had sought.

"The president is guilty of an appalling abuse of public trust," Romney said from the Senate floor Wednesday.

"Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one's oath of office that I can imagine." pic.twitter.com/vDeb890L4n — Salvador Hernandez (@SalHernandez) February 5, 2020

But the first-term senator said that Democrats had proven their first charge, that the president had misused his office for his own personal gain.

“I believe that attempting to corrupt an election to maintain power is about as egregious an assault on the Constitution as can be made,” Mr. Romney added, appearing by turns relieved and nervous - but also determined - as he explained his decision. “And for that reason, it is a high crime and misdemeanor, and I have no choice under the oath that I took but to express that conclusion.”

Nevertheless, the Senate is expected to acquit Mr. Trump of both impeachment charges in a vote later Wednesday afternoon, but we look forward to President Trump's retort to the 'gentleman from Utah'...