Short: Trump’s Not Dismissing Moore Allegations, He’s Calling Out Dems

Marc Short, White House director for legislative affairs, listens to a question during an off-camera press briefing at the White House in Washington, Monday, July 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short said the President’s embrace of embattled Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore is less about dismissing allegations that Moore molested multiple women when they were teenagers and more about Democrats not voting for tax cuts.

Appearing on CNN’s “New Day” Monday morning, Short said Trump has “expressed concern” about the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against Moore — one of the accusers claimed she was just 14-years-old at the time of the alleged misconduct — but said Trump questions why the accusations didn’t come out sooner.

“When allegations rise 38 years later, when Roy Moore has been a very public figure for the past 38 years, he’s run multiple times statewide in Alabama, the people of Alabama need to choose and make decisions about Roy Moore’s character, that there are certain questions that come about the timing of these allegations,” he said. “So when you put all of that together, he’s encouraging people of Alabama to make the right decision.”

He also said Trump thinks it’s a “factor to consider” that no Democrats have supported the Republicans’ tax overhaul bill.

“He is also making the point that it is one of our best opportunities for tax relief, tax relief that many Democrats had said they thought the idea of reforming our corporate code made sense, we couldn’t muster any support from Democrats on a plan that provides massive tax relief for middle income families,” he said.

When CNN host Chris Cuomo argued that Moore hadn’t yet indicated that he would even support the Republicans’ tax relief bill, Short agreed.

“Moore should weigh in. I agree with you,” he said.

Just two weeks ago, Short suggested that he and Trump think the allegations against Moore are credible, saying on ABC News that if Trump “did not believe that the women’s accusations were credible, he would be down campaigning for Roy Moore,”

His comments on the Alabama Senate race Monday come after Trump tweeted saying the Republicans need Moore’s vote in order to pass “massive Tax Cuts.”

Latest Livewire
24
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for misha misha says:

    Bulls**t!

  2. Pedophilia has nothing to do with character.

  3. Avatar for hoagie hoagie says:

    I think in short time, the GOP will stop using the tact that no Democrats voted for the tax rape. When people see what is going to happen to their purse they will lament that there were not a few more Democrats to vote against the bill.

  4. Is it really a talking point that no Democrat voted to raise taxes on the middle class?

  5. “Better a child molester than a Democrat!”

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

18 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for paulw Avatar for sysprog Avatar for old_curmudgeon Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for jloomis3 Avatar for blandsten Avatar for danny Avatar for lastroth Avatar for riverstreet Avatar for hoagie Avatar for benthere Avatar for tsp Avatar for jacksonhts Avatar for milt69 Avatar for misha Avatar for edwardpig Avatar for coprophagoussmile Avatar for the_loan_arranger Avatar for carolson

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: