By Samuel Mattison
Alabama Political Reporter
Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore and Fox News host Sean Hannity resolved their dispute after Hannity said the Moore campaign gave him specific answers to his query.
The Fox News broadcaster gave Moore a 24-hour ultimatum asking Moore to produce specific answers to some inconsistencies with Moore’s explanation of recent allegations of sexual misconduct with minors.
A Washington Post report said Moore had pursued relationships with teenage girls and sexually assaulted a 14-year-old in the late 1970s.
Since the Post’s report, a few women have come forward alleging that Moore acted inappropriately while they were underaged. Moore’s campaign has denied all the allegations made in both the Post’s report and the independent revelations.
Moore gave an interview with Hannity on Friday a day after the allegations were made where he said he “generally” didn’t date teenagers as a 30-year-old. Hannity’s follow up question asked Moore if he had ever dated teenagers in their late teens.
“I don’t remember that, and I don’t remember ever dating any girl without the permission of her mother,” Moore said in response. “And I think in her statement she said that her mother actually encouraged her to go out with me.”
He also reiterated his denial of the Post’s report.
“I believe they are politically motivated,” Moore said. “I believe they’re brought on to stop a very successful campaign. That’s what they’re doing. I’ve never known this woman or anything with regard to the other girls.”
After Moore’s interview, Hannity’s show lost several advertisers for his continued support of the Senate candidate as many Republicans distance themselves from Moore.
Tuesday, Hannity gave Moore an ultimatum: produce specific evidence disputing the Post’s report or Hannity would join the calls for Moore’s withdraw as the GOP Senate candidate.
The latest Republicans to call for Moore’s resignation include Speaker of House Paul Ryan, R-Wis.; Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
Moore replied in an open letter to Hannity where he disputed the accounts of the women who said he sexually assaulted them. Moore ended the letter with falling back to his legal counsel.
“I adamantly deny the allegations of Leigh Corfman and Beverly Nelson, did not date underage girls, and have taken steps to begin a civil action for defamation,” Moore wrote ending the letter. “Because of that, at the direction of counsel, I cannot comment further.”
Hannity read the nearly 500-word open letter on the air and said that he shouldn’t decide if Moore is fit to run for office.
“I am very confident that when everything comes out [Alabamians} will make the best decision for their state,” Hannity said concluding his statements on Moore.
Hannity was a supporter of Moore’s opponent U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., during the Primary. After Brooks loss to Moore, Hannity backed Moore on the premise of him combating Senate leadership.
“I definitely go for the biggest underdog possible sometimes to make a point,” Hannity said on his radio show in September. “I think I’m going to do that in Alabama because I think Judge Moore is not going to be somebody who is going to bend to Mitch McConnell and the leadership. I really don’t.”
Moore will face Democrat Doug Jones in less than four weeks in a December general election.
