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SALT LAKE CITY — Sen.–elect Mitt Romney joined other freshmen senators in Washington, D.C., for orientation meetings Tuesday.
The Utah Republican, who will replace retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch, received a temporary basement office with a nameplate reading, “Senator-Elect Mitt Romney” below the Utah state seal.
An MSNBC reporter caught Romney in a Russell Building hallway, asking the new senator if acting Attorney General Matthew Whittaker should recuse himself from the Robert Mueller investigation.
“That’s really a very important question and I’m sure I’ll get a chance to talk to you about that, but not yet, not today,” Romney said. “This is an orientation day and I’m getting oriented.”
Romney also attended a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Last week, Romney tweeted that the Mueller probe must proceed to its conclusion unimpeded under Whittaker.
Orientation briefings begin Thursday and continue after the Thanksgiving holiday, according to Roll Call.
Members-elect will learn about office budgets, personnel regulations, travel limitations and ethical guidelines and get an overview of Capitol police protective services.
Romney, 71, will be Utah's junior senator to two-term GOP Sen. Mike Lee.
Romney is the first presidential nominee in modern history to run for Congress after losing a race for the White House, according to the Washington Times. He became the first U.S. politician in 173 years to serve as governor of one state and senator from another. Sam Houston was the governor of Tennessee and was elected to the Senate in Texas in 1846.
