“Even If True…” The Republican Defense of Roy Moore

Since the Washington Post printed a story about Senate Candidate Roy Moore (AL) having sexually molested a 14-year-old girl. The Republican Party, particularly its elected officials have gone crazy, figuring out how to respond. Establishment figures John McCain and Mitt Romney, both former Presidential candidates, insisted Moore should withdraw from the Senate race and allow another Republican to take his place. Most Republican officials have said something similar to, “If true… Roy Moore should drop out of the race.” His defenders have gone hard in the paint attacking the four women who detailed their relationships with Moore when they were in their teens and him in his thirties. They said, “it was too long ago.” One compared the age of the youngest accuser to that of the age they suggested the Virgin Mary was when Jesus was conceived. The worst said, “Even if true… what difference does it make?”

They questioned why the women didn’t come forward earlier? The same questions they asked of Cosby accusers, Weinstein, Trump (we will come back to Trump) and others. They called the women liars, accused them of political motivations, they questioned their character and promised repercussions. They suggest the proof has disappeared and now they have no case. In reality, had an accusation been made a week or even a day after the events in question. There would never have been more proof than the word of the women. Teenage girls vs. a District Attorney.

Recent polls suggest Moore’s lead has dropped from  6 points to a tie in deeply Republican Alabama. Most people believe that unless other accusers come forward and reach a critical mass. Roy Moore is still likely to win the upcoming special election on December 12, 2017, to fill the seat of Jeff Sessions who departed to become Attorney General. We need not even ask if Republicans are willing to vote for someone accused of sexual assault (Trump), heard on tape bragging about such behavior (Trump) and even accused of the rape of a 13-year-old girl (Trump again). It is apparently more important to win an election than being concerned if you’re seating a pedophile.

Alabama knows Moore’s history as a bigot and homophobe so is being a sexual predator really much more of a stretch? If you were voting for him already, knowing who and what he is. Why not now?

During the Presidential campaign, after the infamous video was released where Donald Trump bragged about kissing women against their will and that he could, “grab ’em in the pussy.” Congressman Devin Nunes was mortified as he denounced Trump, saying, “How could I face my young daughters?” He apparently found the words as after a couple weeks he became a full-throated Trump defender again. There is almost five weeks before the Special Election in Alabama. We’ll see what it is what they stand for? But for those who said, “Even if true…” their values have already been made clear.