The Thursday morning crowd at the 2020 Conservative Political Action Conference jeered the absent Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who was disinvited last month after voting to call witnesses in President Trump’s impeachment trial.
“The Republican Party of Mitt Romney —” Charlie Kirk, founder of the group Turning Point USA, started to say before he was interrupted by boos from the crowd.
“Correct answer, by the way — correct,” Mr. Kirk said. “Every time his name is mentioned, you should respond that way because he lied to every single person in this room that knocked on doors for him.”
Earlier, American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp said not having Mr. Romney at the event was working out “just fine.”
That prompted applause and a partial standing ovation from the crowd.
“You mean you would rather have Donald Trump here than Mitt Romney?” asked Rep. Mark Meadows, North Carolina Republican.
The crowd cheered.
Mr. Schlapp made a point last month of saying Mr. Romney would not be invited to the annual gathering of conservatives after the senator voted for witness testimony in Mr. Trump’s impeachment trial. Mr. Romney ended up being the only Republican in the Senate who voted to convict Mr. Trump on one of the two impeachment articles — abuse of power — and remove him from office. Both articles failed though.
His office declined to comment on the “disinvitation.” Mr. Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, hasn’t attended CPAC since 2013.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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