Nov. 26 (UPI) — President Trump took to Twitter on Sunday morning to attack Democrat Doug Jones, the opponent of embattled U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore.
Moore, a Republican, has faced a litany of sexual misconduct allegations. At least nine women have accused Moore of making sexual or romantic advances toward them as teenagers.
One of those women, Beverly Young Nelson, claimed Moore sexually assaulted her when she was 16 and he was in his 30s. Another, Leigh Corfman, said he molested her when she was 14.
Several Republicans have denounced Moore and called for him to exit the race, but President Trump has declined to distance himself from the Senate candidate.
On Sunday, Trump criticized Moore’s opponent, Jones, on Twitter.
“The last thing we need in Alabama and the U.S. Senate is a Schumer/Pelosi puppet who is WEAK on Crime, WEAK on the Border, Bad for our Military and our great Vets, Bad for our 2nd Amendment, AND WANTS TO RAISES TAXES TO THE SKY,” Trump tweeted. “Jones would be a disaster!”
Trump isn’t alone in his implied support for Moore.
Though several newspapers in Alabama published harsh denouncements of Moore last week, much of the state’s Republican leadership has stood by the controversial candidate.
The Republican National Committee cut fundraising ties with Moore earlier this month, and Republicans in Congress, including Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, of Ky., have also criticized the former Alabama state judge.
On Sunday, Sen. Lindsay Graham acknowledged Trump’s tacit endorsementof Moore.
“Well, that’s a political decision by the president and he’s definitely trying to throw a life line to Roy Moore,” Graham said during CNN’s State of the Union.
Graham has called on Moore to drop out of the race.
Sunday’s tweets aren’t the first time Trump has offered a de facto endorsement of Moore.
“We don’t need a liberal person … a Democrat,” Trump told reporters last Tuesday, speaking of the Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, before leaving the White House for Thanksgiving.
“Roy Moore denies it,” Trump said. “That’s all I can say.”
