Trump declines to weigh in on Moore
Senate hopeful defiant; more allegations arise
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump dodged questions about the turmoil in the Alabama Senate race on Wednesday, declining to join national Republicans who’ve called for Roy Moore to abandon the race amid allegations of sexual impropriety with teenage girls, including more reported Wednesday by The Washington Post.
Far from surrendering, Moore’s camp challenged the credibility of one of the accusers.
Republicans had looked to Trump as one of the few remaining hopes for pushing a fellow political rebel from the race.
Another hope was Sean Hannity, the Fox News Channel host and onetime Moore defender. On his Tuesday evening show, Hannity gave Moore 24 hours to explain “inconsistencies” in his response to allegations of child molestation or else exit the Alabama race.
Moore responded in a letter late Wednesday: “I adamantly deny the allegations of Leigh Corfman and Beverly Nelson, did not date underage girls, and have taken steps to begin a civil action for defamation. Because of that, at the direction of counsel, I cannot comment further.”
In Alabama, Moore’s campaign chairman and personal attorney did address reporters, trying to undercut the story of one of the women who has accused Moore of sexually accosting her when she was in high school.
The attorney, Phillip Jauregui, demanded that Nelson “release the yearbook” she contends Moore signed. The lawyer questioned whether the signature was Moore’s and said it should be submitted for handwriting analysis.
Neither the attorney nor the campaign manager addressed the original allegations from Corfman, who says that Moore initiated sexual contact with her when she was 14. They did not take questions.
According to internal polling conducted by the Senate GOP campaign arm and reviewed by The Associated Press, Moore trails Democrat