By Samuel Mattison
Alabama Political Reporter
President Donald Trump commented on Republican U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore on Tuesday after staying silent on the matter personally.
Trump was walking across the White House lawn when reporters asked him to comment on Moore and the impending election less than three weeks away.
“We don’t need a liberal person in there—A Democrat,” Trump said on the senate seat. “Jones, I’ve looked at his record. It’s terrible on crime. It’s terrible on the border. It’s terrible on the military.”
When asked about the allegations against Moore regarding sexual misconduct with minors, Trump did not commit on if he thought the allegations were true. He only told the reporters that Moore “denies it” and that people need to look at him too.
The Washington Post first reported on allegations that Moore pursued relationships with teenage girls when he was in his early 30s. They also said in the report that Moore sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl in a car while he was the assistant district attorney in Etowah County.
Since the report, more women have come forward saying that Moore sexually assaulted them. The Moore campaign has denied all the allegations and have moved forward to sue the Washington Post for defamation.
Trump has remined silent on the issue since it was first reported on nearly two weeks ago. The president was in Asia on official business at the time and told reporters that he was too busy to deal with the Moore allegations.
The president’s support of Moore began after Moore’s victory in September over Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., who was endorsed by Trump. During a Strange campaigning event in September, Trump said he would “campaign like hell” for Moore if he won the nomination.
He has not been back to Alabama since his visit in September.
Trump broke his silence through his Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and called the allegations “very troubling.” Sanders told reporters that Alabama should pick the next senator and not Republicans in Washington.
Earlier this month, top Republicans in Washington called for Moore’s withdraw after a second woman, independent of the Washington Post’s report, came forward accusing Moore of sexual assault.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., first called for Moore to withdraw if the allegations were true. After three days, McConnell called for Moore to withdraw outright.
Several other prominent Republicans joined McConnell in the following days including Cory Gardner, R-Colo., who controls the fundraising for GOP senators.
Moore, who was a critic of McConnell’s spending tactics during the Republican primary, has been defiant through the process, calling on the senate majority leader to step down. Moore has signaled he will not step down.
Moore faces Democrat Doug Jones less than three weeks for the Senate seat left vacant by Jeff Sessions.
