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Roy Moore threatens to sue Washington Post over sexual misconduct report Mitch McConnell calls on Roy Moore to 'step aside' in Alabama Senate race
(about 4 hours later)
On the day the White House director of legislative affairs said there was “a special place in hell” for those guilty of what Roy Moore is alleged to have done, the Alabama Senate candidate said he would file a lawsuit over the Washington Post report that alleged he had sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl four decades ago. The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said on Monday that Roy Moore “should step aside” from the Alabama special election, in light of allegations of sexual contact with young women.
Moore is a hardline conservative and former state supreme court justice twice removed from the bench for unconstitutional behaviour. As pressure on him to quit the Senate race intensified from within the establishment wing of the Republican party, Moore told supporters on Sunday night at a gym in Huntsville, Alabama, neither Democrats nor Republicans want to see him win on 12 December. The Washington Post last week quoted four women by name, including one who alleged sexual contact at 14, and had two dozen other sources.
The Post story, he said, was “fake news” and “a desperate attempt to stop my political campaign”. McConnell spoke to reporters after visiting a plant in Kentucky. He said he believed the women who were quoted in the Post story. Previously, McConnell had said Moore should step aside if the allegations were proven true.
Republicans are looking at a write-in option in Alabama, he said on Monday.
Moore seems unlikely to comply. Though on Sunday the White House director of legislative affairs said there was “a special place in hell” for those guilty of what Moore is alleged to have done, the former state supreme court judge denies it and said he would file a lawsuit over the Post report.
Moore is a hardline conservative, twice removed from the state bench for unconstitutional behaviour. He told supporters on Sunday night at a gym in Huntsville, Alabama, neither Democrats nor Republicans want to see him win on 12 December. The Post story, he said, was “fake news” and “a desperate attempt to stop my political campaign”.
Moore said allegations that he was involved with a minor were “untrue” and said the newspaper “will be sued”, drawing applause. He also questioned why such allegations would be levelled for the first time so close to the special election, despite his decades in public life.Moore said allegations that he was involved with a minor were “untrue” and said the newspaper “will be sued”, drawing applause. He also questioned why such allegations would be levelled for the first time so close to the special election, despite his decades in public life.
“Why would they come now? Because there are groups that don’t want me in the United States Senate,” he said, naming the Democratic party and the Republican establishment and accusing them of working together. He added: “We do not plan to let anybody deter us from this race.”“Why would they come now? Because there are groups that don’t want me in the United States Senate,” he said, naming the Democratic party and the Republican establishment and accusing them of working together. He added: “We do not plan to let anybody deter us from this race.”
The Post story quoted four women by name, including the woman who alleged the sexual contact at 14, and had two dozen other sources.
Moore has tried to raise money from the controversy, writing in a fundraising pitch on Sunday that the “vicious and sleazy attacks against me are growing more vicious by the minute”. The pitch told supporters: “I’m counting on you to stand with me at this critical moment by chipping in a donation to help me bust through the vicious lies and attacks and get the truth out to as many voters as possible before 12 December.”Moore has tried to raise money from the controversy, writing in a fundraising pitch on Sunday that the “vicious and sleazy attacks against me are growing more vicious by the minute”. The pitch told supporters: “I’m counting on you to stand with me at this critical moment by chipping in a donation to help me bust through the vicious lies and attacks and get the truth out to as many voters as possible before 12 December.”
On Sunday another Republican senator, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, joined the chorus urging Moore to drop out of the race. He said Moore’s explanations regarding the Post piece were inadequate and that Republicans should consider Luther Strange as a write-in candidate. Strange, who was endorsed by Donald Trump, lost the Republican primary to Moore in September. On Sunday another Republican senator, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, said Moore’s explanations regarding the Post piece were inadequate and that Republicans should consider Luther Strange as a write-in candidate. Strange, who was endorsed by Donald Trump, lost the Republican primary to Moore in September.
Even if Moore were to step aside, his name would probably remain on the ballot. Any effort to add Strange as a write-in candidate would probably divide the Republican vote and give the Democratic candidate a greater chance of winning. The polls have tightened since the Post story was published. On Monday morning, the realclearpolitics.com average gave Moore a two-point lead, putting the race in a deep red state into unlikely toss-up territory.Even if Moore were to step aside, his name would probably remain on the ballot. Any effort to add Strange as a write-in candidate would probably divide the Republican vote and give the Democratic candidate a greater chance of winning. The polls have tightened since the Post story was published. On Monday morning, the realclearpolitics.com average gave Moore a two-point lead, putting the race in a deep red state into unlikely toss-up territory.
Toomey did not rule out the possibility that Senate Republicans might refuse to work with Moore if he wins against Democrat Doug Jones.Toomey did not rule out the possibility that Senate Republicans might refuse to work with Moore if he wins against Democrat Doug Jones.
“You know, this is a terrible situation, nearly 40-year-old allegation, we’ll probably never know for sure exactly what happened,” Toomey said on NBC. “But from my point of view, I think the accusations have more credibility than the denial. I think it would be best if Roy would just step aside.”“You know, this is a terrible situation, nearly 40-year-old allegation, we’ll probably never know for sure exactly what happened,” Toomey said on NBC. “But from my point of view, I think the accusations have more credibility than the denial. I think it would be best if Roy would just step aside.”
The White House, pointedly noting that Trump did not back Moore during the primary – after it he deleted tweets in support of Strange and made favourable comments about Moore – said the president would probably weigh in when he returns from Asia later this week.The White House, pointedly noting that Trump did not back Moore during the primary – after it he deleted tweets in support of Strange and made favourable comments about Moore – said the president would probably weigh in when he returns from Asia later this week.
On Air Force One on Saturday Trump referred reporters to press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ original statement on Moore, which said he should step aside if the allegations were proven to be true. The president also claimed he did not know about Moore’s case because he did “not watch much television”.On Air Force One on Saturday Trump referred reporters to press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ original statement on Moore, which said he should step aside if the allegations were proven to be true. The president also claimed he did not know about Moore’s case because he did “not watch much television”.
White House legislative aide Marc Short told NBC on Sunday: “I think there’s a special place in hell for those who actually perpetrate these crimes. But, having said that, he hasn’t been proved guilty. We have to afford him the chance to defend himself.”White House legislative aide Marc Short told NBC on Sunday: “I think there’s a special place in hell for those who actually perpetrate these crimes. But, having said that, he hasn’t been proved guilty. We have to afford him the chance to defend himself.”
Trump himself has been accused by least 16 women of sexual misconduct or assault. He has denied the allegations and Sanders said last month all the women were lying.Trump himself has been accused by least 16 women of sexual misconduct or assault. He has denied the allegations and Sanders said last month all the women were lying.
Moore is an outspoken Christian conservative who has said “homosexual conduct should be illegal” and who claimed the 9/11 attacks were a case of divine retribution. He was removed from the Alabama supreme court in 2003, for refusing to remove a biblical monument from the state judicial building, and in 2016, for refusing to follow the US supreme court ruling that legalised same-sex marriage.Moore is an outspoken Christian conservative who has said “homosexual conduct should be illegal” and who claimed the 9/11 attacks were a case of divine retribution. He was removed from the Alabama supreme court in 2003, for refusing to remove a biblical monument from the state judicial building, and in 2016, for refusing to follow the US supreme court ruling that legalised same-sex marriage.
The Post reported last Thursday that he had sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl and pursued three other teenagers decades earlier. While he called the allegations “completely false and misleading” in an interview with conservative radio host Sean Hannity on Friday, Moore did not wholly rule out dating teenage girls when he was in his early 30s. The Post reported last Thursday that he had sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl and pursued three other teenagers, decades earlier. While he called the allegations “completely false and misleading” in an interview with conservative radio host Sean Hannity on Friday, Moore did not wholly rule out dating teenage girls when he was in his early 30s.
Asked if that would have been usual for him, Moore said: “Not generally, no.”Asked if that would have been usual for him, Moore said: “Not generally, no.”
He also said: “With regard to the other girls, you understand this is 40 years ago and, after my return from the military, I dated a lot of young ladies.” He added that he did not “remember ever dating any girl without the permission of her mother”.He also said: “With regard to the other girls, you understand this is 40 years ago and, after my return from the military, I dated a lot of young ladies.” He added that he did not “remember ever dating any girl without the permission of her mother”.
The story stirred concern among Republican officials in Washington in a key race to fill the Senate seat once held by Jeff Sessions, now the US attorney general. Losing the special election would imperil the slim GOP majority in the Senate, which is hoping to pass a tax overhaul later this year.The story stirred concern among Republican officials in Washington in a key race to fill the Senate seat once held by Jeff Sessions, now the US attorney general. Losing the special election would imperil the slim GOP majority in the Senate, which is hoping to pass a tax overhaul later this year.