Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) made clear on Wednesday what he thinks of the Senate GOP-led investigation into Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s ties with Ukraine, calling it a “political exercise” from the get-go. “It’s the province of campaigns and political parties, opposition research, the media, to carry out political endeavors,” said Romney, at a meeting of the Senate oversight panel leading the probe as its chairman, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), looked on. “But it’s not the legitimate role of government, for Congress or for taxpayer expense, to be used as an effort to damage political opponents,” said Romney. 

The Utah senator has signalled his skepticism of Johnson’s probe since the staunch Trump ally launched it in March, as it became clear Biden would be the Democratic nominee. His comments Wednesday were his sharpest public criticism yet, and they came as Johnson prepares to release a report summarizing his investigation in the coming weeks.