Roy Moore is a Scoundrel 2

These Alabama women weighed in on Roy Moore allegations: "It was common knowledge, you just steered away from him. ... You just knew that things took place," one said. https://t.co/Z95buNYJBx

— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) November 14, 2017

After news of a fifth accuser came out today, we got to see and hear directly the statement of a woman who was clearly deeply affected by what she experienced and remains hurt to this day. I found the statement of Beverly Young Nelson to be credible and harrowing, but what strikes me is that she was told by him that she would not be believed because he was a DA and she was a child. The combination of abuse of his position and her vulnerability just sickens me. Well, she isn't a child anymore and I don't know what he is, but I will stick to the word "scoundrel". And I'm for every scoundrel getting their due.

The portrait that is being uncovered of Moore, as evidenced by the women speaking in the CNN clip, is not flattering to Moore, but it also shows that people knew. A recent story finds that Moore had been banned from cruising the local mall and YMCA. With this kind of information, it becomes a lot harder for him (or his backers) to sell the idea that he's being torn down by either leftists or the GOP establishment. I don't think it makes him look any better to blame anyone else for what's coming out now, and he might even do himself and his party a favor by stepping aside. Although I don't know where that takes the AL GOP from here--current Sen. Luther Strange has said he won't run a write-in campaign, and I can see where he has a couple points--for one thing, the voters had their say on him, and Moore is the guy they went with. And for another, an official Republican candidate and a write-in could just split the conservative vote based on the current poll numbers, leaving AL with a Democratic Senator anyway.

The recent revelations of a history of predation upon underage girls aside, Roy Moore's other history can't really be glossed over. The man was removed from a position as Chief Justice twice for not holding with current Supreme Court rulings on the display of the Decalogue on public property (which I've always held to be as poor an understanding of the First Amendment as it is of the First Commandment for several values of "no establishment" and "graven image") and for disrespecting the Windsor decision. He has shown himself to be indifferent to ethical concerns regarding his charity, paying himself from it without claiming the salary thereof, not filing returns, and paying a salary to his oft-jailed son, for reasons no one can quite understand.

This kind of thing makes me goggle at the letter signed by just over 50 pastors in favor of Moore's senate bid despite his infidelity to the law of the land and the Lord. I would like to think after all the recent newly revealed information, they might think better of what they signed their names to. And I will say I admire the position of GOP Senator Jeff Flake in that matter. He made it very clear that he would support a Democrat over Roy Moore:

Just to be clear. If the choice is between Roy Moore and a Democrat, I would run to the polling place to vote for the Democrat https://t.co/Ec96HRt228

— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) November 13, 2017

And I think that has to be sticking point for a person of conscience--do you identify as a Republican first, or as a decent person? Would I call this a modern litmus test in politics? It literally makes me feel a little hurt and astonished that anyone even needs to do a moral calculation before deciding after all, they would not prefer to support a child predator. I feel like this one should be easy.