Roy Moore has a story, and he is sticking to it. One day after a damning Washington Post story alleging that Moore, the GOP candidate in the upcoming Alabama Senate election, sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and sought out relationships with three other teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18, Moore issued a statement denying all the claims.
The most troubling account involves Leigh Corfman, who says she Moore introduced himself to her outside an Alabama courtroom when she was 14 and asked for her phone number. The met twice, and the second time, at Moore’s home, “he took off her shirt and pants and removed his clothes. He touched her over her bra and underpants, she says, and guided her hand to touch him over his underwear.”
Moore said, in his statement:
“I have never provided alcohol to minors, and I have never engaged in sexual misconduct. As the father of a daughter and grandfather of five granddaughters, I condemn the actions of any man who engages in sexual misconduct not just against minors but against any woman.”
Moore also decried “false accuations”: “As a former judge and administer of the law, I take the protection of our innocent as one of my most sacred callings. False accusations are gravely serious and will have a profound consequence on those who are truly harassed or molested.”
Moore also appeared on Sean Hannity’s radio show on Friday. Hannity took considerable flak on Thursday for appearing to defend Moore, and later Thursday apologized for misspeaking. Hannity took a tougher tack while interviewing Moore.
Sean Hannity just pressed Roy Moore on whether he dated teenagers when he was in his 30s. Moore said it would be “out of my customary behavior.” pic.twitter.com/WDPM5IIu46
— Tom Dreisbach (@TomDreisbach) November 10, 2017
In the wake of the accusations, national Republicans have spoken out against Moore, led by Ben Sasse saying “conservatives deserve better than this” and John McCain saying “He should immediately step aside and allow the people of Alabama to elect a candidate they can be proud of.”
And Friday Mitt Romney tweeted:
Innocent until proven guilty is for criminal convictions, not elections. I believe Leigh Corfman. Her account is too serious to ignore. Moore is unfit for office and should step aside.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) November 10, 2017
Alabama Republicans have been more apt to defend Moore, with state auditor Jim Ziegler calling Corfman’s allegation “much ado about nothing” and bizarrely invoking the relationship between Mary and Joseph as analogous.
