McConnell-linked group attacks Breitbart amid Roy Moore furor

The Senate Leadership Fund, a super-PAC linked to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday took a swipe at Stephen Bannon and Breitbart News for defending Alabama Senate nominee Roy Moore in the face of sexual misconduct allegations by arguing about “the age of consent.”

While Senate Republicans fight for @realDonaldTrump’s tax reform, Bannon’s @BreitbartNews is arguing the age of consent for teens. https://t.co/aHy0HDbgjX

— Senate Ldshp Fund (@Senate_Fund) November 9, 2017

The organization also released a statement saying “there is no place in our party for sexual predators.”

The Washington Post reported earlier Thursday that four women have accused Moore of pursuing relationships with them when they were teenagers and Moore was in his 30s. One of the women was 14 at the time.

Breitbart editor Joel Pollak came to Moore’s defense during an appearance on MSNBC, arguing that “the 16-year-old and the 18-year-old have no business in that story” because they would have been able to legally consent.

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“My point is that the Post has successfully put a narrative out, at least on MSNBC and in other places, that there’s this pattern of teenagers. There’s really, as far as we know, there’s only one relationship that’s been alleged that’s problematic,” Pollak said.

He acknowledged that Moore’s alleged relationship with the 14-year-old might be “one too many” for some supporters.

Leigh Corfman, now 53, said when she was 14, Moore asked for her phone number while her mother was in a child custody hearing.

The two met on two more occasions. On the first, they kissed. During the second encounter, she said Moore removed his clothes, took off her shirt and pants, and touched her over her bra and underpants and guided her hand over his genitals, according to the Post report.

Three other women separately recounted that Moore had approached them to initiate a relationship while they were between 16 and 18 and Moore was in his 30s.

McConnell was among several Republican senators who after learning of the report said Moore should drop out of the Senate race if the allegations are true.

Moore’s campaign has blasted the accounts as “the very definition of fake news.”

Moore defeated current Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.) in a primary in September. It’s unclear whether Moore will drop out or if the party will stand by him, but Alabama law bars any candidate from withdrawing their name within 76 days of an election, so Moore is expected to appear on the ballot against Democrat Doug Jones regardless.

One GOP senator, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, suggested Strange launch a write-in campaign.

The election will take place on Dec. 12.