President Donald Trump has convened an Opening Up America Again Congressional Group, inviting bipartisan lawmakers to a panel to discuss the pandemic response, but Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, was a notable snub.
Every other Republican Senator was on the phone call with the president Thursday, except Romney, according to Fox News.
The former candidate for Secretary of State has broken from Trump on a number of key issues, including voting with Democrats on one of the House articles of impeachment, abuse of power.
"The dialogue between the president, senior administration officials, and the bipartisan group of members of Congress also included a range of topics, namely the need for additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, the international and domestic supply chains, ways to energize the economy, surprise medical billing, clarifying the difference between essential and non-essential workers, mental health, and relief for small businesses," the White House wrote in a news release.
"Additionally, the Opening Up America Again Congressional Group discussed the rapidly expanding access to COVID-19 diagnostic and anti-body tests, ventilators, face masks, and other PPE. President Trump was pleased to hear such positive feedback from the Members about the work that the Administration is doing to keep America healthy and prosperous, and thanked them for their participation."
Romney's office confirmed the White House did not ask him to participate, per Fox News.
Trump has publicly derided Romney as a "disgrace" for voting with Democrats on impeachment and trolled his antagonist when Romney was forced into quarantine due to a known contact with a COVID-19 positive person.
"Romney’s in isolation?" Trump said at a press briefing earlier this winter. "Gee, that's too bad."
Romney was not in attendance for the Senate vote on the $2.2 trillion Phase 3 stimulus bill, but he has since tested negative.
To which Trump tweeted:
"This is really great news! I am so happy I can barely speak. He may have been a terrible presidential candidate and an even worse U.S. Senator, but he is a RINO, and I like him a lot!"
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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