Senators Inhofe, Lankford call on Moore to resign if claims are true
Oklahoma’s U.S. senators said Friday that Roy Moore, a Republican Senate candidate in Alabama, should end his campaign if allegations of sexual misconduct with minors are accurate.
Moore, a conservative firebrand, has been accused of making sexual advances by four women, one of whom says a then32-year-old Moore had sexual contact with her when she was 14 years old. The accusations were reported by The Washington Post on Thursday.
“If he’s guilty of what he’s been accused of, he should step down,” said Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, when asked by reporters in Midwest City.
Moore has denied the report as “fake news” and “intentional defamation.” In a fundraising email after the report was published, he told supporters he is in a “spiritual battle.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Senate Republicans urged him to end his campaign if the claims are true.
“Sen. Lankford agrees with Majority Leader McConnell and the White House that if these allegations are true, Judge Moore should step aside,” said DJ Jordan, a spokesman for Lankford, R-Oklahoma City.
If he does not step aside, Moore will face Democrat Doug Jones in a Dec. 12 special election to replace former Sen. Jeff Sessions, who is now the attorney general. The race in deeply Republican Alabama has proved closer than expected following a series of revelations about Moore, including Thursday’s report.
Inhofe took questions about Moore and other topics before Midwest City’s Veterans Day parade, where he was a VIP guest. The senator questioned whether the bombshell allegations could be politically motivated.
“I think the timing of this has a lot of partisan rings to it because they waited — nothing happened until the primary was over and he became the nominee of the Republican Party for the United States Senate from Alabama,” Inhofe said. “And then, all of a sudden, this happens. So, whoever was responsible for reporting it waited until the right political time to do it.”
Inhofe stressed that he was not defending Moore and doesn’t know whether the allegations are true.
“If he’s guilty at all, we will figure out some way or should figure out some way to make sure he is not our nominee,” the senator said. “I think everybody’s in agreement. I heard a statement that was made by Richard Shelby — he is the senior senator from Alabama and he’s a Republican — and he said, as I’m saying, that if there’s any truth to that, we’ve got to get rid of that guy.”
Inhofe and Lankford have not publicly endorsed Moore, as some conservative senators have. The only Oklahoma endorsement Moore has received came from former Sen. Tom Coburn. Attempts to reach Coburn on Friday were not successful.