State Rep. Ed Henry (R) thinks that the women accusing GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore of pursuing sexual relationships with them as teens are not only lying, but should also face prosecution.
“I think someone should prosecute and go after them,” Henry told the Cullman Times on Thursday evening. “You can’t be a victim 40 years later, in my opinion.”
Henry, who co-chaired President Donald Trump’s Alabama campaign, had similarly attacked the accusers in an interview with TPM, saying the allegations were “very opportunistic” and that the women “are just looking for their chance to get on some liberal talk show.”
The women need to provide photographic evidence of the encounters, Henry said. “They got some pictures? That’ll do.”
Further piling blame on the women, the state representative argued that their delay in making their stories public rendered them suspect.
“If you believe for a second that any of these are true then shame on these women for not coming forward in the last 30 years,” Henry told TPM. “It’s not like this guy hasn’t been in the limelight for decades.”
On Thursday, the Washington Post dropped an explosive report in which Alabama resident Leigh Corfman accused Moore of initiating a sexual encounter when she was only 14 years old. Three other women told the Post that Moore pursued sexual relationships with them when they were between the ages of 16 and 18.
The alleged encounter and relationships date back about 40 years, when Moore was in his thirties. The Senate nominee has vehemently denied the accusations.
Henry isn’t alone; a number of his Republican colleagues in Alabama’s state legislature were quick to defend Moore, who served as an Alabama Supreme Court justice before getting kicked off the bench for ordering judges to ignore the Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.
“I think it’s just a bunch of bull,” said Perry Hooper Jr., Trump’s other Alabama campaign chairman.
The Post reports that the women were initially reluctant to come forward, but ultimately decided it was important for people to know about their experiences.
“I have prayed over this,” Corfman told the Post. “All I know is that I can’t sit back and let this continue, let him continue without the mask being removed.”
mighty white and christian for them to blame the victims, true republicans through and through
clearly this tool has never been a victim (but maybe a perp himself?), and the way that these beasts go after the accusers, of course they would keep quiet out of fear of losing what remains of their lives
The Republican Party, not safe for your daughter to attend.
I ecpect every one of these steadfast defenders is shaking in his shoes for fear that some poor girl he subjected to his attentions will come forward.
Sadly, no.
But speaking of “pictures”, has anyone peeked at Roy Moore’s browser cache?
Sexual assault is usually not considered a Kodak moment by the victims, but that was a nice try anyway, State Representative Yahoo or whatever his name is. Personally I’m wondering how many women in Alabama who’ve ever been harassed by some slob of a guy will walk into the booth, pull the lever for Doug Jones, and walk out feeling a little better about it all.
I wonder if Ed Henry would “evolve” his position were he to be raped.