No tears will be shed by Black folks if Roy Moore, the Republican nominee in Alabama for a U.S. Senate seat, yields to pressure and ends his candidacy over explosive allegations he made sexual advances on a 14-year-old girl in 1979. The former state Supreme Court judge was 34 at the time.
Soon after the report emerged Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel (R-Ky) and other senior Republicans urged Moore to quit his campaign if the allegations were proven true, CNN reported.
Moore, then an assistant district attorney, allegedly had two private encounters later with teenager Leigh Corfman. In one of them, he removed her shirt and pants and his own clothes, according to the Washington Post, which broke the news.
Now 70, Moore denied the allegations in a statement and accused his political enemies of conspiring against him, adding that the accusations would have come out long ago if they were true.
One thing that was proven true — and, like these allegations, cannot be forgotten or forgiven — was Moore’s past racist attacks on former President Barack Obama. His dog-whistling racism gained national attention when he became one of the most vocal leaders in the birther movement, falsely claiming that Obama was born outside the United States. He also pushed the lie that the former president was secretly a Muslim.
Obama wasn’t the only African-American leader in the crosshairs of Moore, who wrote an op-ed on the day Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), a Muslim, was sworn into Congress using a Koran. Moore questioned Ellison’s qualifications to serve in Congress and his commitment to defend the Constitution because of Ellison’s religion.
Moore showed that he’s far from colorblind when he referred to Asians as “yellows” and Native Americans as “reds” in a campaign speech in September. He doubled down when criticized.
SEE ALSO:
Show Me Your Papers: The Truth Behind Trump’s Birther Movement
It’s Time To Talk About Ending Sexual Violence Now
Happy Presidents' Day! 44 Photos To Make You Miss Obama
42 photos Launch gallery
1. Barack Gives Daughter Malia a Kiss
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2. Michelle and Barack tell the kids a story
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3. Michelle and Barack Kiss
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4. Michelle and Barack
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5. First Family Portrait
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6. Two Terms
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7. Michelle and Barack host a State Dinner
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8. Barack Obama and Michelle Obama
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9. The Obamas on Air Force One
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10. The First Family in London
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11. First Lady Michelle Obama with daughters Malia Obama and Sasha Obama
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12. Sasha and Malia Obama at the 2016 State Dinner
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13. Turkey Pardoning
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14. Sunday Church
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15. Gobble, Gobble
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16. Malia Obama, the First Daughter
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17. Barack Obama and his daughter Malia Obama
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18. A Family Affair
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19. Flashback To The Old Days
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20. Happy Birthday!
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21. Candidly Awesome
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22. Historic First Family
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23. Ice Cream Treat
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24. TV Time
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25. Always Giving Back
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26. A Christmas Story
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27. Hawaii Trip!
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28. Obama Loves Team USA & His Wife
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29. Malia and Sasha Obama
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30. Michelle Plays on a Bike
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31. Obama Loves Team USA, His Wife & Malia
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32. Reading Time
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33. Family Support
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34. The Sister Selfie
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35. Supporting Mom
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36. Giving Back On MLK Day
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37. Obamas Give Back To The Community
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38. Always Supporting Small Businesses
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39. Obama Swagger
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40. Laughs & Turkeys
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41. Christmas With The Obamas
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42. 50th Anniversary Of March On Selma
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