Special to WorldTribune.com
The establishment is on the verge of destroying Judge Roy Moore.
If they succeed, it establishes the playbook to demolish any Trump populist in the future. They are not interested in the truth — or justice. It’s about blunting the momentum of the America First movement, and preserving the Washington swamp.
Moore’s campaign for the vacant Alabama Senate seat has been rocked by allegations of sexual misconduct. Several women claim that Moore dated them while he was in his 30s and they were simply teenagers — ages 17 and 18. If true, creepy and disgusting, but not a crime. Leigh Corfman, however, told the Washington Post that Moore fondled and inappropriately touched her when she was 14. In other words, he allegedly engaged in sexual assault. Another alleged victim, Beverly Young Nelson, has accused the former Alabama state Supreme Court chief justice of attempting to rape her in his car. She says this took place in December 1977. At the time, she was only 16 years old.
In response, the mainstream media is demanding Moore step aside. Republican leaders, such as Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, John McCain, Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham, insist that the Alabama insurgent drop out.
Democrats now gloat that Moore is the face of the GOP — an accused pervert and pedophile who poses as a God-fearing, Christian conservative. In fact, they are going even further. Both Republicans and Democrats vow that, even should Moore hang on and win on Dec. 12, they will not allow him to be seated in the U.S. Senate. He will be expelled. Moreover, the state Alabama Republican Party plans to pull its formal support for Moore. This paves the way, in the case of a Moore victory, to declare the election “null and void,” thereby kicking the issue back to Gov. Kay Ivey who would then announce a new special election.
The message is clear and overwhelming: Moore will never — under no circumstances — be allowed to become Alabama’s next senator. In short, our political and media elites are willing to overturn an election, openly defy and subvert the will of the people in order to prevent the America First populist from coming to Washington.
This is the real scandal — and it should frighten every American. The corrupt establishment is willing to assault the very pillars of democratic self-government and popular sovereignty. They are telling the voters of Alabama that their ballots — their electoral legitimacy — doesn’t matter; that they don’t matter. The reason is because our elites fear the people of Alabama will not participate in their political witch hunt.
The accusations are nearly 40 years old. There is no evidence — witnesses, pictures, videotape — to corroborate the claims of the victims. It is simply their word against his. Yet, there is a rush to judgment, a media-driven hysteria to convict Moore on all counts without a public trial. He is presumed guilty as sin.
Liberals and RINO Republicans, however, have no moral authority to condemn Moore. Their blatant hypocrisy and double-standards disqualify them (or at least, it should) from passing judgment. They claim the Alabama judge is “unfit to hold office.” But this never applies to one of their own. Take former President Bill Clinton. He was credibly accused by multiple women — Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, Juanita Broaddrick — of sexual assault and rape. The Left ferociously defended him. He was supposedly “fit” for office. Ted Kennedy was not only a serial sexual predator, but was responsible for the murder of a young woman. Liberals called him “the Lion of the Senate.” His actions didn’t disqualify him from sitting in the Senate. Former Rep. Barney Frank, Massachusetts Democrat, ran a prostitution ring along with his homosexual lover which used underage male teenagers to “service” clients — and all of this while Barney was a member of Congress. The media never called for him to be stripped of his office.
Yet, the best example may be Sen. Bob Menendez, New Jersey Democrat. He is currently on trial facing corruption charges. The jury is deadlocked. Menendez is on the verge of getting away with bribery, kickbacks and influence-peddling. He is also an alleged pedophile. Several women have accused him of having sex with underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic — some as young as 16. They also have video footage. In other words, there is real evidence. And this behavior took place not 40 years ago but four years ago. The response from the media and the Washington establishment: silence.
In fact, McConnell, Ryan, Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, McCain, Graham and the Washington Post all say Menendez is warmly welcome in the Senate. There is no talk about the need for him to be expelled or his election to be nullified. Why? Because he is a liberal globalist and venal establishment hack. He is part of the corrupt plutocracy that rules America. Hence, everything is forgiven and ignored — including sex with minors. Menendez is acceptable; Moore isn’t.
I am not saying Moore is innocent or guilty. The only people that truly know are Moore and his accusers. But what I am saying is that the same standards used by the media involving prominent Democrats — Kennedy, Clinton, Frank, Menendez (to name just a few) — should be applied toward Moore.
Ultimately, it is up to the people of Alabama. The voters should be the judge and jury. They should decide and determine Moore’s fate, not the elites. After all, this is still a democracy. Isn’t it?
Jeffrey T. Kuhner is a columnist at WorldTribune.com and the host of “The Kuhner Report” weekdays 12-3 pm EST on WRKO AM-680 in Boston.