This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/05/roy-moore-doug-jones-alabama-senate-race
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Roy Moore rival: 'Men who hurt little girls should go to jail, not the Senate' | Roy Moore rival: 'Men who hurt little girls should go to jail, not the Senate' |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Shifting tactics in Alabama Senate race, Democrat Doug Jones hammers Roy Moore over allegations of sexual misconduct involving teenagers | |
| Ben Jacobs and | |
| David Smith in Washington | |
| Tue 5 Dec 2017 22.11 GMT | |
| First published on Tue 5 Dec 2017 19.47 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| View more sharing options | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Close | |
| Doug Jones, the Democratic candidate in the Alabama Senate election, on Tuesday launched his most sustained attack yet on his Republican rival, Roy Moore. | Doug Jones, the Democratic candidate in the Alabama Senate election, on Tuesday launched his most sustained attack yet on his Republican rival, Roy Moore. |
| In a speech in Birmingham a week before the vote, Jones hammered Moore, who has faced allegations of sexual misconduct involving teenaged girls. | In a speech in Birmingham a week before the vote, Jones hammered Moore, who has faced allegations of sexual misconduct involving teenaged girls. |
| “Men who hurt little girls should go to jail, not the US Senate,” Jones said. | “Men who hurt little girls should go to jail, not the US Senate,” Jones said. |
| Several hours after Jones’s speech, Republican senator Jeff Flake made a $100 donation to the Democrat’s campaign. Flake, a conservative “Never Trump” Republican from Arizona, wrote “country over party” on the check. | Several hours after Jones’s speech, Republican senator Jeff Flake made a $100 donation to the Democrat’s campaign. Flake, a conservative “Never Trump” Republican from Arizona, wrote “country over party” on the check. |
| The Alabama race has been roiled by allegations from women who say Moore behaved inappropriately with them when they were teenagers and he was a prosecutor in his 30s. | The Alabama race has been roiled by allegations from women who say Moore behaved inappropriately with them when they were teenagers and he was a prosecutor in his 30s. |
| Two women have claimed Moore sexually assaulted them. Others have said he dated or tried to date them. The Republican candidate has denied all the allegations and pointed to a conspiracy involving “lesbians, gays, bisexuals and socialists”. | Two women have claimed Moore sexually assaulted them. Others have said he dated or tried to date them. The Republican candidate has denied all the allegations and pointed to a conspiracy involving “lesbians, gays, bisexuals and socialists”. |
| Attacking Moore, Jones contrasted the firebrand conservative judge to the state’s former governor, Robert Bentley, who resigned amid a sex scandal in April. | Attacking Moore, Jones contrasted the firebrand conservative judge to the state’s former governor, Robert Bentley, who resigned amid a sex scandal in April. |
| “We didn’t look away with Robert Bentley when his conduct involved consenting adults and we cannot look away now that it involves children,” Jones said. | “We didn’t look away with Robert Bentley when his conduct involved consenting adults and we cannot look away now that it involves children,” Jones said. |
| Moore has twice been forced to step down as chief justice of the Alabama supreme court, for defying federal court orders. Jones set up his Republican opponent as a figure of mockery. | Moore has twice been forced to step down as chief justice of the Alabama supreme court, for defying federal court orders. Jones set up his Republican opponent as a figure of mockery. |
| “Roy Moore has never, ever served our state with honor,” he said. “He was already an embarrassment before nine courageous women chose to share their stories.” | “Roy Moore has never, ever served our state with honor,” he said. “He was already an embarrassment before nine courageous women chose to share their stories.” |
| He also attacked Moore for his position at a not-for-profit organization called the Foundation for Moral Law, which paid the Republican about $1m over a five-year period. | He also attacked Moore for his position at a not-for-profit organization called the Foundation for Moral Law, which paid the Republican about $1m over a five-year period. |
| “I have never lived off of donations from a so-called charitable foundation,” Jones said. | “I have never lived off of donations from a so-called charitable foundation,” Jones said. |
| The Democrat even mocked Moore for pulling a small pistol on stage at a campaign rally in September. “When you see me with a gun, I’ll be climbing in and out of a deer blind,” he said, “not prancing around on a stage in a cowboy suit.” | The Democrat even mocked Moore for pulling a small pistol on stage at a campaign rally in September. “When you see me with a gun, I’ll be climbing in and out of a deer blind,” he said, “not prancing around on a stage in a cowboy suit.” |
| The speech marked a shift in tactics from Jones. From being cautious in criticizing Moore over the allegations of sexual misconduct, his campaign has become increasingly vocal and aggressive. | The speech marked a shift in tactics from Jones. From being cautious in criticizing Moore over the allegations of sexual misconduct, his campaign has become increasingly vocal and aggressive. |
| The speech came one day after Donald Trump formally endorsed Moore and the Republican National Committee, which had withdrawn support, renewed its involvement in the race. | The speech came one day after Donald Trump formally endorsed Moore and the Republican National Committee, which had withdrawn support, renewed its involvement in the race. |
| At the White House on Tuesday, Trump talked to reporters about the race. “We don’t want to have a liberal Democrat in Alabama,” he said. “We want to have the things we represent.” | At the White House on Tuesday, Trump talked to reporters about the race. “We don’t want to have a liberal Democrat in Alabama,” he said. “We want to have the things we represent.” |
| Press secretary Sarah Sanders also defended the endorsement, saying Trump “would rather have a person that supports his agenda versus someone who opposes his agenda every step of the way, and until the rest of that process plays out, you have a choice between two individuals, and the president’s chosen to support Moore”. | Press secretary Sarah Sanders also defended the endorsement, saying Trump “would rather have a person that supports his agenda versus someone who opposes his agenda every step of the way, and until the rest of that process plays out, you have a choice between two individuals, and the president’s chosen to support Moore”. |
| She added: “The allegations are concerning and, if true, he should step aside, but we don’t have a way to validate that and that’s something for the people of Alabama to decide.” | She added: “The allegations are concerning and, if true, he should step aside, but we don’t have a way to validate that and that’s something for the people of Alabama to decide.” |
| CNN journalist Jim Acosta challenged Sanders, noting: “This is somebody who’s been accused of child abuse, of molesting children. How can that vote in the Senate be that important that you would take a gamble on somebody who’s been accused of molesting kids, of harming somebody who is under age? Has he wrestled with that question? | CNN journalist Jim Acosta challenged Sanders, noting: “This is somebody who’s been accused of child abuse, of molesting children. How can that vote in the Senate be that important that you would take a gamble on somebody who’s been accused of molesting kids, of harming somebody who is under age? Has he wrestled with that question? |
| The press secretary answered: “As I’ve said, we find the allegations very troubling and again this is up to the people of Alabama to make that decision. I’m not a voter in Alabama; I can’t make that decision.” | The press secretary answered: “As I’ve said, we find the allegations very troubling and again this is up to the people of Alabama to make that decision. I’m not a voter in Alabama; I can’t make that decision.” |
| According to the realclearpolitics.com polling average, Moore has a 1.5-point lead. | According to the realclearpolitics.com polling average, Moore has a 1.5-point lead. |
| Roy Moore | |
| Alabama | |
| US politics | |
| news | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Reuse this content |