Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, said Thursday that Judge Roy Moore should step aside from the Alabama Senate race if allegations that he had a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl in 1979 are accurate.
“The allegations in the Washington Post story are deeply disturbing,” Meadows said in a statement. “And if proven true, Judge Moore should immediately step aside.”
Meadows, one of the most conservative members of the House, was one of the first sitting lawmakers to endorse Moore’s bid for the Senate during the primary runoff against Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala.
Meadows; Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; and Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., were among a group of Freedom Caucus members to endorse the two-time Alabama Supreme Court chief justice. Since Moore’s primary win, he has gained endorsements from five sitting U.S. senators as well, including fellow conservatives Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.; and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.
Moore forcefully denied the allegations Thursday, calling them “the very definition of fake news.” He is set to face off against Democrat Doug Jones on Dec. 12 to fill out the remainder of Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ term.
