Romney's strong condemnation and calling Ted Cruz out by name is unusual for Republicans, but these are not normal times when 12 U.S. Senators have said they'll openly attempt to subvert democracy. Romney's statement is probably the strongest so far by another Republican. Said Romney, "I could never have imagined seeing these things in the greatest democracy in the world. Has ambition so eclipsed principle?"

The United States used to be the greatest democracy in the world. It'd be really hard to justify that claim these days.

Source: The Hill

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Saturday offered blistering criticism of a plan by at least 12 Republican senators to challenge the results of the election next week, warning that they "imperil" public trust.

“The egregious ploy to reject electors may enhance the political ambition of some, but dangerously threatens our Democratic Republic. The congressional power to reject electors is reserved for the most extreme and unusual circumstances. These are far from it," Romney said in a statement.

Romney had previously told reporters Friday that objecting during Wednesday's joint session, where Congress will formally count the Electoral College vote, would help "spread the false rumor that somehow the election was stolen."

But his statement on Saturday comes after 11 GOP senators, led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), warned that they will support challenges to President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College win — where he received 306 votes compared to Trump's 232 — unless there is a commission created to conduct a 10-day audit.

“My fellow Senator Ted Cruz and the co-signers of his statement argue that rejection of electors or an election audit directed by Congress would restore trust in the election. Nonsense. ... Members of Congress who would substitute their own partisan judgement for that of the courts do not enhance public trust, they imperil it," Romney added.

The egregious ploy to reject electors may enhance the political ambition of some, but dangerously threatens our Democratic Republic. https://t.co/jKEvoXskbl

— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) January 3, 2021

Sen. Mitt Romney: "My fellow Senator Ted Cruz and the co-signers of his statement argue that rejection of electors or an election audit directed by Congress would restore trust in the election. Nonsense."

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 3, 2021

Mitt Romney on the Trump-Cruz effort to overturn the results of a certified democratic election: "I could never have imagined seeing these things in the greatest democracy in the world. Has ambition so eclipsed principle?"

— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) January 3, 2021