Trump makes the case for voting Roy Moore — again
President Trump blasted Doug Jones, the Democratic candidate for Alabama’s U.S. Senate seat, on Sunday — reiterating his tacit support for Republican Roy Moore despite multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and assault against the former judge.
“The last thing we need in Alabama and the U.S. Senate is a Schumer/Pelosi puppet who is WEAK on Crime, WEAK on the Border, Bad for our Military and our great Vets, Bad for our 2nd Amendment, AND WANTS TO RAISES TAXES TO THE SKY,” Trump tweeted, tying Jones to Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. “Jones would be a disaster!”
“I endorsed Luther Strange in the Alabama Primary,” the president added. “He shot way up in the polls but it wasn’t enough. Can’t let Schumer/Pelosi win this race. Liberal Jones would be BAD!”
The last thing we need in Alabama and the U.S. Senate is a Schumer/Pelosi puppet who is WEAK on Crime, WEAK on the Border, Bad for our Military and our great Vets, Bad for our 2nd Amendment, AND WANTS TO RAISES TAXES TO THE SKY. Jones would be a disaster!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2017
I endorsed Luther Strange in the Alabama Primary. He shot way up in the polls but it wasn’t enough. Can’t let Schumer/Pelosi win this race. Liberal Jones would be BAD!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2017
Before leaving the White House for the holiday weekend last week, President Trump told reporters that people in Alabama should vote for Moore because Jones is a Democrat.
“I can tell you one thing for sure: We don’t need a liberal person in there, a Democrat,” the president said. “I’ve looked at his record. It’s terrible on crime. It’s terrible on the border. It’s terrible on the military. I can tell you for a fact, we do not need somebody that’s going to be bad on crime, bad on borders, bad with the military, bad for the Second Amendment.”
Trump’s support of Moore runs counter to many congressional Republicans, like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who are calling for Moore to exit the race amid allegations from nine women ranging from uncomfortable and unwanted overtures to sexual assault. Most of the accusers said the misconduct occurred when they were teenagers and Moore was in his 30s.
Related: #MeAt14: Women tweet photos of when they were age of Moore’s accuser
But when asked by reporters on Tuesday if having an alleged molester in the Senate was preferable to seating a Democrat, the president pointed to Moore’s denials.
“Well, he denies it,” Trump said. “Look, he denies it.”
“He says it didn’t happen, and you know, you have to listen to him also,” the president added.
Trump did not rule out campaigning for Moore before the special election on Dec. 12.
Trump’s support for Moore is also at odds with one of his closest advisers in the West Wing: his daughter.
When asked about the claims against Moore last week, Ivanka Trump said there was “a special place in hell for people who prey on children.” She added: “I’ve yet to see a valid explanation and I have no reason to doubt the victims’ accounts.” Her comments were used in a campaign ad by Jones.
The president himself has faced more than a dozen allegations of various forms of misconduct, with most of the women coming forward during last year’s campaign. The October 2016 release of an “Access Hollywood” tape revealed that Trump bragged in 2005 that he could grope and forcibly kiss women without their consent. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders has said the administration’s position is that all of Trump’s accusers are lying.
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