Republican politicians scrambled into damage control mode after The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Roy Moore, the Republican nominee for Alabama senator, initiated a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl in 1979 and pursued relationships with three other teenage girls.
Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler called the claims in The Post report "much ado about nothing," even if they are true.
"Take the Bible. Zachariah and Elizabeth for instance. Zachariah was extremely old to marry Elizabeth and they became the parents of John the Baptist," Zeigler told The Examiner. "Also take Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus."
Another Alabama lawmaker, Marion County GOP chairman David Hall, joined Zeigler in dismissing the claims in The Post's report.
"It was 40 years ago," Hall told Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale. "I really don't see the relevance of it. He was 32. She was supposedly 14. She's not saying that anything happened other than they kissed."
Another Alabama lawmaker, Marion County GOP chairman David Hall, joined Zeigler in dismissing the claims in The Post's report.
"It was 40 years ago," Hall told Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale. "I really don't see the relevance of it. He was 32. She was supposedly 14. She's not saying that anything happened other than they kissed."
Fox News host Sean Hannity dismissed allegations against GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore Thursday after several woman told The Washington Post that Moore had initiated sexual relations with them while they were in their teens.
Speaking with Lynda McLaughlin on his radio program, "The Sean Hannity Show," Hannity said he doubted whether or not the allegations made against the Senate candidate and former judge were true.
Hannity began his comments by citing conspiracy theories about the GOP wanting to discredit Moore. "You've got the establishment and they hate Roy Moore. Roy Moore, to them, is another Ted Cruz, another Mike Lee, somebody they can't control ... It's a he-said, she [said]," Hannity said.
Hannity also insinuated that the allegations made by the women were false, saying "there are false allegations made," and asking "Do some people do it for political reasons?"
According to the allegations reported by The Washington Post, a woman named Leigh Corfman said that when she was 14 years old, Roy Moore, then 32, initiated a sexual encounter with her.
Hannity's co-host defended Moore against the allegations by claiming the sexual relationship Moore had with 14-year-old Corfman "was consensual," to which Hannity agreed.
