Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, announces Monday that he is no longer supporting Judge Roy Moore for in the Alabama Senate special election next month.
In a statement, Cornyn, the No. 2-ranking Senate Republican, said that he believes the accusations against Moore involving sexual harassment of teenage girls when he was in his thirties.
“I believe the accusations against Roy Moore are disturbing and, if true, disqualifying,” Cornyn said.
“The most appropriate course of action, in my view, is to leave the final judgment in the hands of Alabama voters — where it has always belonged — and withdraw my endorsement,” he said.
Cornyn’s announcement came soon after Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, called for the Senate to expel Moore if he were elected next month. But Cornyn declined to say whether he would support a vote to expel Moore should he win his Senate race, and said it’s “premature” to talk about exact steps.
Cornyn was one of five GOP senators who had endorsed the two-time chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Of the five, three — Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Steve Daines, R-Mont., along with Cornyn — have withdrawn their endorsements. Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rand Paul, R-Ky., meanwhile, continue to endorse Moore.
Moore is set to face off against Democrat Doug Jones on Dec. 12.
