President Donald Trump formally endorsed embattled Republican Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate race on Monday, looking past harassment allegations against the GOP candidate to argue that Moore’s vote is needed in Congress.
Trump tweeted early Monday that “Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama.”
Trump also spoke with Moore by phone. White House Spokesman Raj Shah said the two discussed the state of the Alabama Senate race and that the president “endorsed Judge Moore’s campaign.”
It was Trump’s strongest show of support for Moore since allegations surfaced that the candidate had assaulted teenage girls decades ago, including one who said he molested her when she was 14 and he was in his 30s. Many national Republicans have called on Moore to step aside in the wake of multiple assault and harassment allegations.
Shortly after Trump’s tweet, Moore responded on Twitter: “Thankful for President Trump’s support. The America First agenda will #MAGA. Can’t wait to help him #DrainTheSwamp.”
Trump also had assailed Moore’s Democratic rival Doug Jones, tweeting that “Putting a Pelosi/Schumer Liberal Puppet Jones into office in Alabama would hurt our great Republican Agenda of low on taxes, tough on crime, strong on military and borders…& so much more.”
Trump for weeks was silent after the allegations against Moore surfaced, and the White House has said he had no plans to make campaign appearances before the Dec. 12 election. But Trump in recent days has raised doubts about the allegations against Moore, and he has agreed to headline a campaign-style rally in Pensacola, Florida — less than 20 miles from the Alabama border — just four days before the Alabama election.
And Trump tweeted of Moore on Monday: “We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet!”
White House legislative director Marc Short told CNN that Trump was “making the case to the people of Alabama that it’s a factor to consider that not one Democrat has been able to find time to say they support” the GOP tax plan.
Short said Trump’s point is that “when allegations arise 38 years later, when Roy Moore has been a very public figure for those 38 years, he’s run multiple times statewide in Alabama, the people in Alabama have an opportunity to choose and make some decisions about Roy Moore’s character. Putting all that together, he’s encouraging the people of Alabama to make the right decision.”
(AP)
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3 Responses
Not really a surprise. The Democrats accused Moore of sexual offenses, and all they could produce was evidence of boorish behavior while dating – and 40 years ago. And then others (not necessarily Republicans) started coming out of the woodwork with accuasations and real evidence of more serious and more recent offenses by leading Democrats. While Trump didn’t support Moore in the primary, and would prefer a less independent Senator, he’ll be content with an independent Republican over a party-line Democrat.
No proof at all that this is made up by democrats or anyone else. There were many people close to these women who knew about it at the time. How can anyone, much less a frum Jew, prefer an accused pedophile over another candidate? Who cares when it happened? Would you let your young daughter anywhere near this man?
rt: At the same time that Moore was dating teenagers, the Prince of Wales was dating a teenager. “Pedophile” implies tha man is clearly too old to normally be considering the girl as a potential spouse, and usually that the girl is well below the age at which marriage is considered socially acceptable – and that was not the case with Moore (even if his behavior was rude, which is probably why those women didn’t marry him). In fact, in many cultures older men frequently court and date much younger women – it has to do with the idea that a man isn’t ready to marry until he is established in his career (a concept alien to Yidden – though one can admit there is some logic in making men wait until they can support a family before startingt a family). Our tradition is to encourage both boys and girls to marry at an early age – but the goyim do not share this custom and it is not based on any halacha that is applicable to goyim. One might also note that the age difference between the president and the first lady is 24 years old, somewhat greater than the age difference between Moore and the women who are accusing him.
Where as the press has been reporting about actual sexual misconduct by many public figures (including a former president, a leading fund raiser, etc.), the charges against Moore appear to be politically concoted fake news.