It was another tumultuous day in Alabama politics as more allegations emerged against Senate candidate Roy Moore. lgore@al.com
Brynn Anderson
A new accuser and a swift denial
A fifth woman has come forward to say she had an inappropriate sexual encounter when she was a teenager and Senate candidate Roy Moore was in his 30s. Speaking at a press conference in New York, Beverly Young Nelson said she was 16 when Moore sexually assaulted her in his car. The allegations were just the latest chapter in the high-stakes saga of the Alabama Senate race. Here's what we know today:
A fifth accuser
Beverly Young Nelson, who lives in Anniston, said she was a 16-year-old waitress when Moore offered her a ride and then sexually assaulted her.
Nelson said Moore groped her and tried to force her head onto his crotch. Nelson says she yelled and tried to leave the car, but Moore locked the door.
"I was not going to allow him to force me to have sex with him," Nelson said. "I was terrified. I thought he was going to rape me. At some point, he gave up."
'Wasn't the type to seek attention'
Susan Firestone, who was a 10th grade English teacher at the time, described Nelson as a quiet girl and a good student.
"She was a really pretty girl," Firestone said. "Had beautiful red hair. She was really quiet. I remember her being a good student. She wasn't the type to seek attention."
Associated Press
Moore denies charges
As he did with the previous allegations, Moore is denying the sexual abuse claims.
"I can tell you without hesitation this is absolutely false," Moore told reporters Monday. "I never did what she said I did. I don't even know the woman. I don't know anything about her."
Moore’s campaign released an additional statement:
"Gloria Allred is a sensationalist leading a witch hunt, and she is only around to create a spectacle," said the statement, attributed to Moore campaign chair Bill Armistead. "Allred was the attorney who claims credit for giving us Roe v. Wade which has resulted in the murder of tens of millions of unborn babies."
Paul Gattis | pgattis@al.com
Kayla Moore speaks
Kayla Moore defended her husband in the light of the allegations.
"I have been married to this man for 32 years," Kayla Moore said. "We've been together for 33 altogether. He has never one time lifted a finger to me. He is the most gentle, most kind man I have ever known in my life. He's godly and everybody in this community knows it.
"These things are false and it's ugly. It's the ugliest politics I've ever been in in my life."
Paul Gattis | pgattis@al.com
Kayla Moore's earlier defense
Kayla Moore's comments were the second time she'd addressed the allegations against her husband.
"In all the contests that he's ever been in, nothing like this has ever happened," Kayla said. "Nothing like this has ever come up. Nothing I've ever heard of. It's supposedly coming from our hometown. I've never heard anything about it.
"They say it was 'common knowledge,' but it wasn't 'common knowledge' for me and it wasn't common knowledge for any of our family. We're all shocked by this. We raised our children there. We had four children. So if it was 'common knowledge,' I'd like to know whose 'common knowledge' it was."
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Common knowledge?
Some residents in Gadsden said Moore's behavior was well-known in the area. Several residents told AL.com Moore was known to pursue young girls and would flirt with the teens at the local mall.
Pastor support?
On Sunday night, Kayla Moore posted a letter seeming to show 50 Alabama pastors had signed a letter of endorsement for her husband. Two pastors later said they were never contacted about the letter, which was almost an exact duplicate of one printed before the August primary.
Nathan Morgan
'Grossly unfit'
‘Grossly unfit’
In its editorial, AL.com said Moore was "grossly unfit" to serve in the U.S. Senate.
“It's time that he and his party read the writing on the wall: His candidacy is over. His true character has been revealed. It's time for the GOP to remove its official support.
And since he and his party can't assure it, the voters of Alabama must.”
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Moore maintains lead
An Alabama Senate poll released Monday and conducted by Emerson College said Moore is leading Democrat Doug Jones by 10 points.
Emerson had Moore, the Republican nominee, leading Jones 55-45 in the poll conducted Thursday through Saturday. It’s at least the sixth post-allegations poll released over the weekend and gave Moore, by far, his largest lead.
Associated Press
GOP leaders threaten expulsion
Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, said the Senate should expel Moore if he is elected on Dec. 13l.
If Moore wins the election, “the Senate should vote to expel him, because he does not meet the ethical and moral requirements of the United States Senate,” Gardner said.
Associated Press
The return of Jeff Sessions
Scott Jennings, a former aide to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President George H.W. Bush have a unique plan to solve the Moore dilemma.
"President Trump should intervene with the following plan: demand the Alabama Republican Party withdraw Moore's name as a candidate, which it almost certainly would do if ordered by the White House; dispatch a still-popular Sessions to run a write-in candidacy; and campaign for and hope Sessions wins," Jennings wrote in an op-ed. "In that scenario, if a disqualified Moore receives the most votes, the election is voided and a new one is scheduled. It's a no-lose plan for Trump, plus he can then choose a new attorney general that he doesn't hate so much."
Bob Gathany | bgathany@al.com
Mo Brooks sticking with Roy Moore
Not everyone is abandoning Moore.
U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks said he stands by the former Alabama Chief Justice.
"America faces huge challenges that are vastly more important than contested sexual allegations from four decades ago," Brooks said. "Who will vote in America's best interests on Supreme Court justices, deficit and debt, economic growth, border security, national defense, and the like? Socialist Democrat Doug Jones will vote wrong. Roy Moore will vote right. Hence, I will vote for Roy Moore."
Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com
Senior Senator responds
Alabama's Senior Senator, Sen. Richard Shelby, said Moore should "seriously consider dropping out."
Julie Bennett
Jones applauds women
Democratic Alabama Senate candidate Doug Jones said that the women who have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against his Republican opponent have "courage," adding that Republican Roy Moore "will be held accountable."
"We applaud the courage of these women. Roy Moore will be held accountable by the people of Alabama for his actions," the campaign said in a statement.
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