Fervent Trump-trashing Senator Bob Corker blasted the people of Alabama on Saturday for voting to make Judge Roy Moore the Republican nominee for Senate, calling their decision “a bridge too far.”
Retiring Sen. Corker broadcast his jab to Twitter, “Look, I’m sorry, but even before these reports surfaced, Roy Moore’s nomination was a bridge too far.”
Look, I'm sorry, but even before these reports surfaced, Roy Moore's nomination was a bridge too far.
— Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) November 11, 2017
On Thursday, the Washington Post published an almost four-decades-old allegation that Moore engaged in sexual misconduct. Moore has flatly denied the Post allegations. After the report went out, several news outlets asked Alabama voters what they thought about the claim.
The New Yorker reported that Moore supporters are standing with their candidate in the wake of the allegations. Atlanta Tea Party co-founder Debbie Dooley, a Moore supporter whose daughter is an Alabama voter, laughed at the allegations in a phone conversation with the outlet. “I think the allegations are bullshit,” she said.
NBC News talked to more than a dozen Alabama voters asking for their response to the allegations. The outlet reported that “none said their support for Moore would change.” Most didn’t believe the allegations, but would still vote for Moore because they think he’s a good man and should be forgiven.
The report added that of those questioned:
…Several attacked the media.
Republican voters in Alabama said they love Moore’s penchant for political incorrectness — they like the same thing about President Donald Trump — and blame the media for Moore’s troubles.
CNN cited Madison Baptist church pastor Mike Allison who said he doesn’t believe the allegations, sees a lot of fake news and called Moore “a man of integrity.” Allison said “You used to be innocent until proven guilty,” and he supports Moore “now more than ever.”
Young’s Chapel Congregational Methodist Church Rev. Jamie Holcomb told CNN that he has known Moore his entire life, “I’ve never known him to do anything inappropriate.” He said he supports Moore “100%.” He said if there’s proof that he assaulted the woman then he would be the “first to condemn it.”
Dottie Finch also told CNN that she support Moore “100%.”
“I don’t know what’s happened in this country where a man isn’t innocent until proven guilty,” Young’s Chapel pastor Pastor Bruce Jenkins told CNN. “It’s a pretty convenient time for this to come out, and it has not changed my opinion and won’t, unless true.”
The Post’s editorial board has endorsed Moore’s Democrat opponent.
On Friday, the Intercept reported that Alabama Republican operatives have been trying to dredge up evidence that Moore had “women issues” for years, “but they were never able to get definitive proof.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Senate Leadership Fund dumped around $9 million to oppose Moore and support his opponent in the September 26 Republican primary runoff election, according to the superPAC’s president. Estimates put total spending to oppose Moore or support Strange in the race at $15 to $30 million without bringing forth such allegations of sexual misconduct. Just $1-3 million was spent to benefit Moore in that election.
Corker revealed just hours before Moore’s victory that he would not run for re-election to his seat in 2018. Corker’s announcement also came on the heels of a third report on a sweetheart deal involving himself and a Mobile, Alabama retail center.
About a week and a half after the election, President Donald Trump and Corker traded Twitter digs. Corker called the White House “an adult day care center.” His tweet continued, “Someone obviously missed their shift this morning.”
McConnell has led the quick-to-judgement cadre of Republicans calling for Moore to step down – that is, if the allegations against him are true.
Rep. Steve King shot back at the Trump agenda-resisting Senators who banned together calling for Moore to step aside, “Judge Roy Moore told to withdraw by Senators who won’t or can’t help move Trump agenda.”
In a Friday radio interview with host Sean Hannity regarding the allegations, Moore suggested that there has likely been “collusion” between establishment Democrats and Republicans and the media to hit him just a month ahead of the December 12 Alabama special election. “There are going to come out facts, there will be facts, that show in this situation that this was a Democrat and maybe even establishment Republican effort to undermine this campaign, because they don’t want to hear the truth in Washington, and they don’t want to hear the truth about God and the Constitution.”
Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana
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