The chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH) did not hesitate to ditch the Republican Senate candidate from Alabama, Roy Moore, who has been accused by multiple women of inappropriate sexual advances toward them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s.
During an interview on CNN’s “New Day” Thursday morning, Stivers, who has donated to the Moore campaign, said he “believe(s) these women” and said the Republican candidate should step aside.
“I have subsequently asked for my money back and that was before these allegations came forward,” Stivers said Thursday. “I do believe Roy Moore should step aside. It’s up to him at this point. I don’t think anybody can manipulate anybody into doing anything, but I hope he will step aside. … I believe the women.”
While Stivers is not a member of the Senate, he said it would “be a problem” if Moore is actually elected in December and said he would “probably move to take some action” if that happens.
“I’m not going to put pressure on the Senate. They need to manage their own affairs in the United States Senate,” he said. “I think it would be a problem and I would probably move to take some action.”
Moore has denied all the accusations against him and has vowed to stay in the race.
Stivers is just the latest Republican to abandon Moore after multiple women have come forward with eerily similar accounts of Moore pursuing unwanted relationships or unwanted sexual contact with them when they were teens. At least two were under 16-years-old at the time, which is the age of consent in Alabama.
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH) fundraised for Roy Moore. Stivers donated to the Moore campaign. TPM regrets this error.
Can we get the women with complaints about Trump back out in front to hear their stories again? Does the RNCC Chair believe them too?
It’s too soon to talk about that.
If there is a poll showing Moore in the lead, just wait…
You notice Trump is uncharacteristically reticent on this. And those women haven’t gone anywhere. Summer Zervos is suing him IIRC. The question is how many people who were indifferent and unaware before are persuadable and paying attention now.
Watching Rachel last night I found it quite disturbing that after trump meets with Putin on his Asia trip we all of sudden have a no bid contract for Russia to provide security at the American Embassy in Moscow.
Oh wait…some dip shit Alabama creep is running for office! World shattering Soap Opera drama! Currently on TPM’s front page there are 9-10 articles covering the Roy Moore trailer trash show.
Anything else going on in the world?
Late edit: For the last several weeks I’ve been somewhat binge watching The West Wing. Not that I don’t know each episode word for word…I probably do…but I got mad about Kevin Spacey and House of Cards so I went on Netflix to watch a couple episodes of that because it’s over - no new season, and just when…wait for it…the woman gets to be president. Anyhow - The West Wing is also on Netflix and I thought, “well, it got me through the Bush years…what the hell.” It’s been the best therapy ever, even better than snarking.
So last night I came to Season 3 Episode 19. Man, I cannot recommend watching that enough. It’s the one where they step away from the storyline and interview several former presidents, WH staffers, cabinet members, employees who consulted for the show telling their stories. Toward the end, many of them are talking about the reverence of the office of POTUS. At that time, they are drawing from Clinton, Bush I, Reagan, Carter, Ford & Nixon administrations so it’s dated for sure. Toward the end, Peggy Freaking Noonan is talking about the reverence of the Oval Office and the office of POTUS and what she says will blow you away in that it will literally move you in its beauty. They all talk about the AWE of working in the WH and the meaning of POTUS. I can’t tell you how this episode will blow you away in so many ways. Some of it inspires to high places and some of it really puts the horror show we are experiencing in hard core 3-D perspective. Inspiring though, I’ll give it that in spades.