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.
