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| Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore accused of sexually assaulting teen girl | Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore accused of sexually assaulting teen girl |
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| Roy Moore, the Republican Senate nominee in Alabama, has been accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl when he was 32. | Roy Moore, the Republican Senate nominee in Alabama, has been accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl when he was 32. |
| In a statement, the Moore campaign claimed that the Washington Post – which reported the woman’s accusation – had waged “systematic campaign to distort the truth” and that “this garbage is the very definition of fake news and intentional defamation”. | In a statement, the Moore campaign claimed that the Washington Post – which reported the woman’s accusation – had waged “systematic campaign to distort the truth” and that “this garbage is the very definition of fake news and intentional defamation”. |
| He told the paper: “These allegations are completely false and are a desperate political attack by the National Democrat Party and the Washington Post on this campaign.” | He told the paper: “These allegations are completely false and are a desperate political attack by the National Democrat Party and the Washington Post on this campaign.” |
| The Post reported that Moore took Leigh Corfman to his house in 1979, stripped down to his underwear and made her touch his genitals. Under Alabama law, such conduct would be sexual abuse in the second degree, although the statute of limitations would have long passed. | The Post reported that Moore took Leigh Corfman to his house in 1979, stripped down to his underwear and made her touch his genitals. Under Alabama law, such conduct would be sexual abuse in the second degree, although the statute of limitations would have long passed. |
| Corfman told the Post: “I wasn’t ready for that – I had never put my hand on a man’s penis, much less an erect one.” | Corfman told the Post: “I wasn’t ready for that – I had never put my hand on a man’s penis, much less an erect one.” |
| The story also details allegations from three other women about Moore dating them when they were underage. Although one told the Post that Moore had ordered her cocktails when she was below the legal drinking age, there were no other accusations of illegal behavior. | The story also details allegations from three other women about Moore dating them when they were underage. Although one told the Post that Moore had ordered her cocktails when she was below the legal drinking age, there were no other accusations of illegal behavior. |
| The report comes five weeks before Moore faces off against Democrat Doug Jones in the fiercely competitive special election to fill the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions when he became US attorney general. He won the Republican nomination in September besting appointed incumbent Luther Strange by a margin of 55%-45% despite Strange’s support from Donald Trump and the entire machinery of the Republican party. Moore though did receive the support for former White House strategist Steve Bannon. | The report comes five weeks before Moore faces off against Democrat Doug Jones in the fiercely competitive special election to fill the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions when he became US attorney general. He won the Republican nomination in September besting appointed incumbent Luther Strange by a margin of 55%-45% despite Strange’s support from Donald Trump and the entire machinery of the Republican party. Moore though did receive the support for former White House strategist Steve Bannon. |
| Shortly before the Washington Post article was published, Breitbart, the conservative website run by Bannon, published an article featuring the Post’s request for comment to the Moore campaign, which detailed the accusations against him, and the Alabama Republican’s response to the allegations. | Shortly before the Washington Post article was published, Breitbart, the conservative website run by Bannon, published an article featuring the Post’s request for comment to the Moore campaign, which detailed the accusations against him, and the Alabama Republican’s response to the allegations. |
| Top Republicans immediately took steps to distance themselves from Moore. The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, who actively supported Strange, said in a statement: “If these allegations are true, he must step aside.” Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado, who runs the National Republican Senate Committee, also put out a statement saying: “The allegations against Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore are deeply troubling. If these allegations are found to be true, Roy Moore must drop out of the Alabama special Senate election.” | |
| Senator John McCain of Arizona, the Republican presidential nominee in 2008, said bluntly in a statement that Moore should drop out. “The allegations against Roy Moore are deeply disturbing and disqualifying,” said McCain. “He should immediately step aside and allow the people of Alabama to elect a candidate they can be proud of.” | |
| Among the handful of Senate Republicans who have endorsed Moore, only Mike Lee of Utah weighed in on the allegations. Lee said in a statement: “If these allegations are true, Judge Moore should resign.” | |
| Moore has long been a controversial figure in Alabama politics. He has been twice removed as chief justice of the state supreme court, first for refusing to remove a monument to the Ten Commandments from the grounds of his courthouse and more recently for refusing to implement the US supreme court ruling legalizing gay marriage. | Moore has long been a controversial figure in Alabama politics. He has been twice removed as chief justice of the state supreme court, first for refusing to remove a monument to the Ten Commandments from the grounds of his courthouse and more recently for refusing to implement the US supreme court ruling legalizing gay marriage. |
| Moore also has a long history of incendiary comments on social issues. He has argued that “homosexual conduct” should be illegal, said the United States could be described as “the focus of evil in the world” for promoting “bad things” like gay marriage and that a Muslim congressman should be prohibited from serving in the House of Representatives. | Moore also has a long history of incendiary comments on social issues. He has argued that “homosexual conduct” should be illegal, said the United States could be described as “the focus of evil in the world” for promoting “bad things” like gay marriage and that a Muslim congressman should be prohibited from serving in the House of Representatives. |