Moore hit by sexual misconduct allegations
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — A woman has accused Roy Moore, the Republican nominee for the US Senate in Alabama, of initiating a sexual encounter with her when she was 14 years old and he was 32, the Washington Post reported on Thursday, prompting top Republicans to say he should step aside if the allegations prove true.
Moore, 70, the state’s former chief judge, vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “completely false and a desperate political attack.”
US President Donald Trump would want Moore to step aside if the allegations against him are true, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said yesterday.
“Like most Americans, the president believes we cannot allow a mere allegation, in this case one from many years ago, to destroy a person’s life,” Sanders said.
“However, the president also believes that if these allegations are true, Judge Moore will do the right thing and step aside,” she added.
In a series of Twitter posts later in the day, Moore cast the published allegations against him part of a bid to “silence and shut up Christian conservatives like you and me,” adding “I will NEVER GIVE UP the fight!”
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, working with a slim 52-48 majority, called on Moore to drop out of the race “if these allegations are true.” Several other Republicans, including Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, and Utah Senator Mike Lee, all of whom endorsed Moore, echoed that sentiment.
At least two Republican senators, John McCain of Arizona and John Thune of South Dakota, said Moore should step aside immediately, with McCain calling the accusations “deeply disturbing and disqualifying.”