The rumors and allegations started years before Roy Moore decided to run for Alabama senate. In the early eighties, Moore was banned from his hometown mall in Gadsden, Alabama. At this time, he was an assistant district attorney at thirty-two years of age. He was known for hanging out in the mall alone, watching and approaching the young teenage girls. At this time, the mall was the “cool” hangout place where most teens would go to hangout after school, so there were always girls there. Eventually, he was banned from the mall and the towns YMCA for his inappropriate actions towards the young girls. Local law enforcement offers were also warned to watch Moore at the sports events, and cautioned them to keep him away from the cheerleading team. It was evident that Moore went after and was attracted to young high school girls.
In the early 90’s Moore was elected as a circuit judge in Etowah County. He decided to hang up the ten commandments carved onto a wooden plaque and display them in the court room. He was sued for the plaque being unconstitutional, but it was dismissed. He claimed he was just practicing his freedom of religion given in the first amendment. He gained support of churches and even the Governor Fob James. He believed that he was a judge to enforce not only the laws of the constitution, but also “higher laws”, referring to religion. This controversy caused an uproar on the situation nationwide. In 2000 with this newfound support, he was elected to chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. One year later, Moore took it a step farther and displayed a public monument of the Ten Commandments in Alabama’s Supreme Court. Soon, more lawsuits were filed against it. Finally, it was ruled unconstitutional by a Judge Thompson and said to disregard separation of church and state. Moore refused to remove it and was suspended from his position. He was removed for defying a federal ruling. However, this only gave Moore even more support and gave the national controversy more fuel.
In both 2006 and 2010 Moore attempted to run as Republican nominee for governor but lost both. A few years later Moore returned as Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice. Later in 2015 when the same sex marriage ban in Alabama was lifted, Moore was outraged. He believed whole heartedly that homosexuality should be illegal and that same sex marriage goes against moral and religious beliefs. He encouraged judges statewide to refrain giving marriage licenses out to same sex couples, although some judges did anyways. This situation again caused
a nationwide uproar surrounding Roy Moore. There was a rally in Mobile to impeach Moore from his position. In an attempt to explain himself, he goes on to talk of LGBT as a mental disorder and claiming it was not about his religion. He is suspended for the rest of the term, yet again, for ethical charges. Despite his actions, soon the Supreme Court legalized same sex marriage nationwide.
The scandal Roy Moore faces today is being accused of sexual assault and misconduct. However, he has gained support from President Trump which isn’t shocking, seeing as how he faced several accusations when running for office. Around seven women have stepped forward accusing Moore of pursuing them romantically while they were in their early teenage years. A young girl named Leigh Corfman was fourteen years old when Moore made his move on her; at the time, he was in his early thirties. The legal age of consent then was the same as it is now, sixteen years old. Moore was accused of leading Corfman into sexual interactions that she was not comfortable with. Later, he had an encounter with 15-year-old Beverly Nelson outside of her work in Gadsden. He is accused of inappropriately touching her and trying to force her into a sexual situation she did not want to take part in. He finally gave up when she continued refusing, and told her that if she tried to tell anyone they would not believe her. These are only a few of the encounters that have recently come to public knowledge.
Many people are skeptical of these allegations. They tend to ask, why come forward about this now? Imagine being fourteen again, young and naive. As a young girl, boys or in this case men, who give you attention make you feel pretty and special. Once these girls were led into these unwanted situations with an important and influential man, I can only imagine how scared and scarred they were after. They were probably terrified to come forward in terms of being called a liar, or of Moore taking it farther. The women say they have come forward not because of their political affiliation, but to simply warn Alabama and the nation of a future senate and his past with young women. It concerns me for women and teens that this man is still in the race, and has a high chance of winning. I do not think his actions towards young girls’ half his age were appropriate or morally right. Many in the state of Alabama, despite these accusations, refuse to vote for opponent and democratic nominee Doug Jones. A question I will leave you with is, how would you feel if this happened to you at fourteen? Or your daughter, granddaughter, sister, or wife? #MeAt14