Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore says the allegations of sexual misconduct against him are “completely false.”
“These allegations are completely false and misleading,” Moore told Sean Hannity on the talk show host’s syndicated radio show, “The Sean Hannity Show,” on Friday afternoon.
An explosive Washington Post report Thursday based on interviews with more than 30 people detailed allegations that the Republican Senate candidate from Alabama pursued sexual relationships with several women when they were between 14 and 18 years old and he was in his 30s, including alleged sexual contact with the 14-year-old.
“Nobody that abuses a 14-year-old at age 32 or at age 17, it doesn’t matter, if you abuse a 14-year-old you shouldn’t be a Senate candidate,” Moore told Hannity. “I agree with that. But I did not do that.”
Moore denied knowing Leigh Corfman, who alleged she had a sexual encounter with Moore when she was 14 years old, according to The Washington Post.
“Allegations of sexual misconduct with her (Corfman) are completely false.” Moore said. “I believe they are politically motivated. I believe they are brought only to stop a very successful campaign, and that’s what they’re doing.”
Moore backer and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon compared the allegations against the Republican Senate candidate to the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape that was released during the 2016 election.
“The Bezos Amazon Washington Post that dropped that dime on Donald Trump is the same Bezos Amazon Washington Post that dropped the dime this afternoon on Judge Roy Moore,” Bannon said Thursday at a dinner of conservative activists in Manchester, New Hampshire, referring to Washington Post owner and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. “Now is that a coincidence? That’s what I mean when I say opposition party, right?”
In a written statement issued Friday, Moore further responded to the allegations in the Post’s story: “I have never provided alcohol to minors, and I have never engaged in sexual misconduct. As a father of a daughter and a grandfather of five granddaughters, I condemn the actions of any man who engages in sexual misconduct not just against minors, but against any woman.”
CNN’s Eli Watkins contributed to this report.
This story is developing and will be updated.
