Moore campaign: Washington Post story ‘garbage’ that defines ‘fake news’

Senate candidate Roy Moore’s campaign on Thursday slammed a report alleging the Alabama Republican had a sexual encounter in 1979 with a 14-year-old girl when he was 32, calling the story “garbage” that “is the very definition of fake news.”

“Judge Roy Moore has endured the most outlandish attacks on any candidate in the modern political arena, but this story in today’s Washington Post alleging sexual impropriety takes the cake,” Bill Armistead, Moore’s campaign chairman, said in a statement. “National liberal organizations know their chosen candidate Doug Jones is in a death spiral, and this is their last ditch Hail Mary.”

“This garbage is the very definition of fake news and intentional defamation,” the statement said.

{mosads}The response comes after a story in The Washington Post published earlier on Thursday. The report alleges that Leigh Corfman, who in 1979 was 14 years old, had multiple encounters with Moore. While she said the two did not have sexual intercourse, Corfman said that during one of the encounters Moore touched her over her underwear and bra.

The report also includes accounts from three other women who said Moore attempted to court them during the same time frame, when they were between 16 and 18 years old.

Moore told The Washington Post the accusations were “completely false and a desperate political attack.” 

The Moore campaign argued that if there were truth to the accusations, they would have come to light during his prior political campaigns. 

“The Washington Post has already endorsed the Judge’s opponent, and for months, they have engaged in a systematic campaign to distort the truth about the Judge’s record and career and derail his campaign,” Armistead said in the statement.

“In fact, just two days ago, the Foundation for Moral Law sent a retraction demand to the Post for the false stories they wrote about the Judge’s work and compensation. But apparently, there is no end to what the Post will allege.” 

Moore is the Republican candidate in the Alabama special election to fill the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He is slated to face off against Democrat Doug Jones on Dec. 12.