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How Senate Republicans Have Reacted to the Roy Moore Allegations How Senate Republicans Have Reacted to the Roy Moore Allegations
(about 1 hour later)
Allegations that Roy S. Moore, the Republican nominee for a Senate seat in Alabama, pursued sexual and romantic relationships with teenagers while he was in his 30s have upended a race in a state that has not had a Democratic senator since 1997.Allegations that Roy S. Moore, the Republican nominee for a Senate seat in Alabama, pursued sexual and romantic relationships with teenagers while he was in his 30s have upended a race in a state that has not had a Democratic senator since 1997.
While Alabama Republicans, by and large, defended Mr. Moore against what many of them described as a partisan plot, national officials have reacted with shock and disgust. And the shift away from him has been particularly pronounced in the chamber he hopes to join.While Alabama Republicans, by and large, defended Mr. Moore against what many of them described as a partisan plot, national officials have reacted with shock and disgust. And the shift away from him has been particularly pronounced in the chamber he hopes to join.
On Monday, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, said that Mr. Moore “should step aside.” On Monday, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, said that Mr. Moore “should step aside.” When asked by reporters whether he believed the allegations, he replied, “I believe the women, yes.”
When asked by reporters whether he believed the allegations about Mr. Moore, he replied, “I believe the women, yes.”
The National Republican Senate Committee is no longer raising money for Mr. Moore, and most Republican senators say he should end his campaign if the allegations — reported by The Washington Post on Thursday and based on more than 30 sources, including four accusers quoted by name — are true. A fifth woman came forward on Monday.The National Republican Senate Committee is no longer raising money for Mr. Moore, and most Republican senators say he should end his campaign if the allegations — reported by The Washington Post on Thursday and based on more than 30 sources, including four accusers quoted by name — are true. A fifth woman came forward on Monday.
Here is a roundup of how the Senate’s 52 Republicans have responded.Here is a roundup of how the Senate’s 52 Republicans have responded.
Mr. McConnell made his most recent comments to reporters on Monday at a news conference about the Republican tax plan. He said party leaders were considering a write-in option. Watch the video here. By Monday afternoon, 10 senators, including Mr. McConnell, had called unequivocally for Mr. Moore to withdraw from the race.
On Thursday, Mr. McConnell had made a more qualified statement, saying that Mr. Moore should step aside before the Dec. 12 special election if the allegations were true. Senator John McCain of Arizona was the first to do so, tweeting the same day The Post published its report that Mr. Moore “should immediately step aside and allow the people of Alabama to elect a candidate they can be proud of.”
Susan Collins of Maine made a similar shift on Monday, dropping her initial “if true” caveat and calling on Mr. Moore to withdraw from the race. Mike Lee of Utah, Steve Daines of Montana and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana released similar statements in the next two days. And Bob Corker of Tennessee said on Saturday that Mr. Moore should never have been the party’s candidate to begin with.
Todd Young of Indiana made the same demand on Monday in his first statement on the allegations, saying that if Mr. Moore did not step aside, “we need to act to protect the integrity of the Senate.” Charles E. Grassley of Iowa gave a somewhat more muted response, telling KCCI-TV on Friday that Mr. Moore “should step aside” but adding: “The trouble is, if he agreed to step aside, his name is still on the ballot. People can still vote for him, and he could get elected.”
“After giving Roy Moore ample time to unequivocally deny the disturbing allegations against him, those allegations remain far more persuasive than the denials,” Mr. Young said. “Roy Moore should immediately drop out of the race. The appearance of grossly reprehensible behavior disqualifies him from service in the United States Senate.” On Monday, those senators were joined by Mr. McConnell, Todd Young of Indiana, Susan Collins of Maine and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
Four other Republican senators — John McCain of Arizona, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Steve Daines of Montana and Mike Lee of Utah — unequivocally renounced Mr. Moore last week. Mr. McConnell — who had made a more qualified statement on Thursday, saying that Mr. Moore should step aside before the Dec. 12 special election if the allegations were true — toughened his stance at a news conference about the Republican tax plan and said that party leaders were considering a write-in option. Watch the video here.
Mr. McCain was the first, tweeting on Thursday that Mr. Moore should step aside. Ms. Collins, Mr. Young and Mr. Tillis also dropped their “if true” caveats.
Mr. Lee tweeted on Friday, “Having read the detailed description of the incidents, as well as the response from Judge Moore and his campaign, I can no longer endorse his candidacy for the US Senate.” Mr. Daines and Mr. Cassidy quickly followed. Mr. Young said on Monday that if Mr. Moore did not step aside, Republicans needed “to act to protect the integrity of the Senate.”
A fifth senator, Bob Corker of Tennessee, wrote that Mr. Moore should never have been nominated to begin with. “After giving Roy Moore ample time to unequivocally deny the disturbing allegations against him, those allegations remain far more persuasive than the denials,” he said, adding, “The appearance of grossly reprehensible behavior disqualifies him from service in the United States Senate.”
And Charles E. Grassley of Iowa said in an interview with KCCI-TV on Friday that Mr. Moore “should step aside,” but added: “The trouble is, if he agreed to step aside, his name is still on the ballot. People can still vote for him, and he could get elected.” By far the most common reaction has been a call for Mr. Moore to step aside if the allegations are true. That was the first response of more than 30 senators, though none explained what criteria they would use to judge the truth of the accusations.
By far the most common reaction has been a call for Mr. Moore to step aside if the allegations were true. That was the first response of more than 30 senators, though none explained what criteria they would use to judge the truth of the accusations.
If the allegations are true, “I don’t think this candidacy is sustainable,” John Cornyn of Texas said, “but we believe in a presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and so I think it’s important for the facts to come out.” Texas’ other senator, Ted Cruz, called the reports “serious and troubling” but added, “Judge Moore has the right to respond.”If the allegations are true, “I don’t think this candidacy is sustainable,” John Cornyn of Texas said, “but we believe in a presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and so I think it’s important for the facts to come out.” Texas’ other senator, Ted Cruz, called the reports “serious and troubling” but added, “Judge Moore has the right to respond.”
Lamar Alexander, John Barrasso, Shelley Moore Capito, Michael B. Enzi, Joni Ernst, Cory Gardner, Orrin G. Hatch, Dean Heller, John Hoeven, James M. Inhofe, Ron Johnson, James Lankford, Jerry Moran, Lisa Murkowski, David Perdue, Jim Risch, Pat Roberts, Mike Rounds, Marco Rubio, Richard C. Shelby, Dan Sullivan, John Thune and Thom Tillis also made “if true” statements. Lamar Alexander, John Barrasso, Shelley Moore Capito, Michael B. Enzi, Joni Ernst, Cory Gardner, Dean Heller, John Hoeven, James M. Inhofe, Ron Johnson, James Lankford, Jerry Moran, Lisa Murkowski, David Perdue, Jim Risch, Pat Roberts, Mike Rounds, Marco Rubio, Richard C. Shelby, Dan Sullivan and John Thune also made “if true” statements.
Others, though they included the caveat, seemed more inclined to jettison Mr. Moore. Jeff Flake of Arizona said Mr. Moore should step aside “if there is any shred of truth to the allegations,” and Ben Sasse of Nebraska spoke similarly. Others, though they included the caveat, seemed more inclined to jettison Mr. Moore. Jeff Flake of Arizona said Mr. Moore should step aside “if there is any shred of truth to the allegations,” and Ben Sasse of Nebraska spoke similarly. Roy Blunt of Missouri, Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania and Tim Scott of South Carolina said they found the accusations more believable than Mr. Moore’s denials; Rob Portman of Ohio said he assumed they were true because the women making them were on the record.
Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania and Tim Scott of South Carolina said they found the accusations more believable than Mr. Moore’s denials; Rob Portman of Ohio said he assumed they were true because the women making them were on the record. On Monday, Roy Blunt of Missouri released a similar statement. “Alabama voters should have a better choice,” Mr. Blunt said on Monday, “and Judge Moore should have better answers to these charges.”
“The women have a more credible story than Judge Moore,” said Mr. Blunt, who had previously been silent on the allegations. “Alabama voters should have a better choice, and Judge Moore should have better answers to these charges.”
And Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Mr. Moore “should be dealt with very severely” if he behaved as reported.And Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Mr. Moore “should be dealt with very severely” if he behaved as reported.
“Any person who believes these allegations are not that bad,” Mr. Graham told ABC’s affiliate in Columbia, S.C., “I don’t want them to be a part of the Republican Party.”“Any person who believes these allegations are not that bad,” Mr. Graham told ABC’s affiliate in Columbia, S.C., “I don’t want them to be a part of the Republican Party.”
It is too late to replace Mr. Moore on the ballot, but Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Sasse, Mr. Toomey and now Mr. McConnell have floated the idea of a write-in campaign — perhaps by Luther Strange, who holds the seat Mr. Moore is seeking but lost the Republican primary. (Last week Mr. Strange called the report “very, very disturbing” and said he would later have “something to say” about whether he would re-enter the race.) It is too late to replace Mr. Moore on the ballot, but Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Sasse, Mr. Toomey and now Mr. McConnell have floated the idea of a write-in campaign — perhaps by Luther Strange, who holds the seat Mr. Moore is seeking but lost the Republican primary. (Last week, Mr. Strange called the reports “very, very disturbing” and said he would later have “something to say” about whether he would re-enter the race.)
“If there’s an ounce of truth to any of this, Roy Moore has no place in public life and ought to drop out immediately,” Mr. Sasse said. “Alabamians should start thinking about who they’ll write in.” Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, who had previously issued an “if true” statement, tweeted on Monday that he agreed with Mr. McConnell.
Ms. Murkowski, who won a write-in campaign herself after losing a primary in 2010, told Politico on Thursday that she had spoken with Mr. Strange, who told reporters he was researching his options. Earlier, Mr. Sasse urged Alabamians to “start thinking about who they’ll write in.” And Ms. Murkowski, who won a write-in campaign herself after losing a primary in 2010, told Politico on Thursday that she had spoken with Mr. Strange, who told reporters he was researching his options.
But “a write-in is very difficult, let’s face it,” Mr. Toomey acknowledged. “There’s no easy solution to this.”But “a write-in is very difficult, let’s face it,” Mr. Toomey acknowledged. “There’s no easy solution to this.”
Only one senator, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, explicitly declined to suggest that Mr. Moore step down, even with the “if true” caveat. Why, he asked, didn’t the women who spoke to The Post come forward earlier? Only one senator, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, explicitly declined to suggest that Mr. Moore step down. Why, he asked, didn’t the women who spoke to The Post come forward earlier?
“They’re very, very old charges,” Mr. Wicker told Mississippi News Now. “You have to ask, and I think people in Alabama will be asking, why this hasn’t come out in the 40 years’ time with him running for so many offices.”“They’re very, very old charges,” Mr. Wicker told Mississippi News Now. “You have to ask, and I think people in Alabama will be asking, why this hasn’t come out in the 40 years’ time with him running for so many offices.”
Nine senators — John Boozman, Richard M. Burr, Thad Cochran, Tom Cotton, Michael D. Crapo, Deb Fischer, Johnny Isakson, John Kennedy and Rand Paul — have not responded publicly to the allegations.Nine senators — John Boozman, Richard M. Burr, Thad Cochran, Tom Cotton, Michael D. Crapo, Deb Fischer, Johnny Isakson, John Kennedy and Rand Paul — have not responded publicly to the allegations.