SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah Senators Mitt Romney and Mike Lee both issued statements after former President Trump pleaded not guilty on 34 counts of falsifying records in an arraignment on Tuesday, Apr. 4.

Both senators shared similar messages of concern over the trial being used as political punishment rather than an effort to seek justice.

Romney’s statement started by calling Trump “unfit for office,” however, pivoted to say he believes the prosecutor “has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda.”

The two-pronged statement mentioned the responsibility of the jury to “fulfill its responsibility with the utmost care and impartiality,” while also saying voters will decide the political future of the former president.

Sen. Romney has often criticized Trump, calling him a “fraud” in 2016 and voting twice in favor of convicting the former president in impeachment trials.

In response to Trump’s arraignment today, Sen. Mike Lee tweeted, “When criminal law becomes weaponized as a means of retaliating against political opponents, liberty always loses.”

He later released a statement on social media, saying “I have spent my life in the law, I hold our justice system in the highest regard. This isn’t justice, solemnly and blindly carried out. This is using the law to selectively punish for political gain. It is a disgrace and will profoundly change our country for the worse.”

Regardless of their personal and political views of Trump, the senators appear to be most outspoken about what precedent the criminal charges will place for future politicians.

Read Sen. Romney’s complete statement below:

“I believe President Trump’s character and conduct make him unfit for office. Even so, I believe the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda. No one is above the law, not even former presidents, but everyone is entitled to equal treatment under the law. The prosecutor’s overreach sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing political opponents and damages the public’s faith in our justice system.

The charges and evidence will be duly considered and the outcome decided by a jury with an obligation to fulfill its responsibility with the utmost care and impartiality. The American voters will ultimately render their own judgment on the former President’s political future.

Finally, it is also incumbent on all elected leaders to discourage violence and anger in response to this situation.”