Of all the national Republicans expressing doubts about Roy Moore’s defense of allegations of child sexual abuse, perhaps the most stinging came Tuesday from the man who held the Senate seat he hopes to claim.
Jeff Sessions, whose resignation to become U.S. attorney general triggered the special election in which Moore is running in as the Republican nominee, addressed the issue during testimony Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee.
“I have no reason to doubt these young women,” Sessions said in response to a question from Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas).
Sessions said ethics advisers at the Department of Justice have recommended he not get involved in the race, which will conclude with voting on Dec. 12.
Lee urged Sessions to open a federal inquiry into the allegations made by a woman who told The Washington Post last week that Moore molested her in 1979 when she was 14 and accusations by another woman Monday who said at a news conference that Moore tried to force her to have sexual relations when she was 16.
Sessions declined to make a specific commitment but added, “We will do our duty.”
Representatives from the Moore campaign did not respond to calls seeking comment. But Moore took a shot at Republican leaders on Twitter: “Alabamians will not be fooled by this #InsideHitJob. Mitch McConnell’s days as Majority Leader are coming to an end very soon. The fight has just begun.”
A lawyer for Moore and his wife on Tuesday sent a letter to Alabama Media Group, publisher of Al.com and its three newspapers, demanding a retraction for “false reports and/or careless reporting that has adversely affected” their reputation.
Tuesday brought a new round of calls by prominent Republicans for Moore to abandon his campaign for the Senate.
“Number one, these allegations are credible,” House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said in a statement. “Number two, if he cares about the values that he claims to care about, then he should step aside.”
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also reiterated his calls for Moore to drop out. He said he spoke with President Donald Trump on Friday about the issue while the president was in Vietnam. He said he also talked to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly on Saturday and Vice President Mike Pence on Monday.
“Roy Moore should step aside. The women who’ve come forward are entirely credible,” he said. “He’s obviously not fit to be in the United States Senate, and we’ve looked at all the options to prevent that from happening.”
Those options include expelling Moore should he win the race against Democrat Doug Jones. But that would be messy, with a likely hearing to examine the evidence followed by a vote that would require two-thirds of the Senate.
The procedure has not been used since the Civil War.
The Alabama Republican Party’s steering committee also reportedly is mulling whether to withdraw its certification of Moore as the nominee. But it would not change the ballot. Secretary of State John Merrill has said it is too late to remove Moore’s name.
Brendan Kirby is a senior political reporter for LifeZette.com and a Yellowhammer contributor. He is also the author of “Wicked Mobile.” Follow him on Twitter.
