Orrin Hatch defends Roy Moore and Trump's endorsement of him

The Hill

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) is defending President Trump's decision to endorse Roy Moore amid allegations of sexual misconduct, saying he had to support "the only Republican" candidate running for the open Alabama Senate seat.

"I don't think he had any choice but to do that," Hatch told the White House press pool on Tuesday. "That's the only Republican we can get down there."

The Utah senator also appeared to downplay the accusations, which come from women who say they were as young as 14 at the time, pointing out that the alleged offenses took place a long time ago.

"Many of the things he allegedly did were decades ago," he added.

Trump early Monday endorsed Moore, saying his vote is needed in narrowly GOP-controlled Senate, despite multiple women saying he made unwanted sexual advances when they were teenagers and he was a man in his 30s.

"The President had a positive call with Judge Roy Moore during which they discussed the state of the Alabama Senate race and the President endorsed Judge Moore's campaign," said White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah.

Moore is going to face off with Democratic candidate Doug Jones on Dec. 12 for the seat Jeff Sessions left open when Trump tapped him to become his attorney general.

Trump also told pool reporters on Monday while traveling in Utah that he was urging to Hatch to run for an eighth term in 2018.

Trump's remarks come after reports surfaced that the president wants Hatch to run again in order to prevent Mitt Romney from tossing his name into the Senate race.

Hours after Trump backed Moore — telling him "Go get 'em Roy" in a phone call from Air Force One — Romney slammed the idea of the former state supreme court chief justice becoming a senator.

This... is... the most despicable I've seen anyone in my state represent. It shouldn't matter how long someone committed a sexual assault, especially given how there have been Democrats like Al Franken being thrown under a bus by their own party for their sexual harassment. And "having no choice as he is the only Republican"? There are Democrats (David Clarke, Michael Flynn) that will vote Republican.

Hatch! Has! To go! Unfortunately, Utah is too Republican to even be doing that.

I thought trump was for congressional term limits and draining the swamp.

Why would he want hatch back?

Trump served up the GOP to Roy Moore with his endorsement of Moore.

Now, if (when) Moore wins Alabama there is a 0% chance he will be expelled and will only further the partisan divide that grips this nation due to the leader of the party in charge.

Republicans as a party are about the worst thing for this country. Red states are generally the poor states.....but their base doesn't realize it. Sad.

This is the same asshole who thinks evolution is bullshit, obama is from Kenya and thinks preschools liberalize children.

And he's a pedo.

And the GOP is somehow the party that supports the rule of law or the "moral" party? Yeah, sure thing.

Yeah, but Trump is a pedo too. He and Moore will make a great team. Personally I say they make it a trifecta of child buggery and recruit Jared Fogle.

Honestly the GOP is much more of a threat to the American people then any of the scapegoats they use to keep their base sedated.

Those people. Them. They are what's wrong with this country.

but honestly, Moore needs to step aside. No place in government for a child molester.