User:On Sober Reflection/Roy Moore sexual assault allegations work page

In November 2017, nine women made allegations of sexual misconduct and child molestation against former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, the Republican nominee in a US Senate election in Alabama scheduled for the following month. Three of the women alleged that he had sexually assaulted them, two at ages 14 and 16 while Moore was in his 30s. Six other women recalled Moore pursuing romantic relationships or engaging in inappropriate or unwanted behavior with them while they were between the ages of 16 and 22. The age of consent in Alabama is 16.

Moore denied the allegations of sexual abuse. He acknowledged on November 10 having known two of the women, but two weeks later stated "I do not know any of these women", and that he "did not date any of these women and have not engaged in any sexual misconduct with anyone."

Prominent Republicans and religious leaders such as John McCain, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and Russell Moore (no relation) called for Moore to drop out of the race after the allegations were reported. President Donald Trump, however, endorsed Moore, and accepted his denials. Alabama Republicans largely defended Moore from the allegations. The Republican National Committee initially cut ties with Moore after the accusations were made publicly, but later restored funding to Moore's campaign.

Moore lost the election to Doug Jones, the Democratic candidate for the Senate seat. In the year following the allegations, no criminal charges were issued against Moore, and the issue left the public spotlight. One of the accusers, Leigh Corfman, filed a defamation lawsuit against Moore in January 2018 over his statement that her accusation was "false and malicious". Moore filed a defamation suit against Corfman and four others in April 2018. , the lawsuits had not yet come to trial.