Washington Post bombshell alleges sexual misconduct of minors by GOP Senate nominee Roy Moore

Roy Moore, the Republican nominee for Senate in Alabama, allegedly pursued relationships with women between the ages of 16 and 18 and initiated sexual contact with a 14-year-old when he was in his early 30s, The Washington Post reported Thursday. The Post spoke with four women who said Moore initiated relationships with them when they were teenagers, though none said Moore ever forced them "into any sort of relationship or sexual contact."

Leigh Corfman told the Post that she was 14 years old when she met Moore. The former judge brought Corfman to his house, where she said he touched her through her bra and underwear as well as guided her to touch him "over his underwear" before taking her home at her request. Corfman said that she had considered speaking publicly about her encounter with Moore when he ran for state Supreme Court in 2000, but feared her allegations would not be taken seriously.

Although Moore allegedly kissed two of the women who spoke to the Post, Corfman is the only one who said Moore touched her sexually. Debbie Wesson Gibson was 17 when she told her mother that Moore had asked her on a date, she said. Another woman, Wendy Miller, said she was repeatedly courted by Moore when she was 16 years old. Miller's mother told the Post that she denied Moore permission to date her daughter, telling him, "You're too old for her … let's not rob the cradle."

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Minutes before the Post's story was published, Breitbart published a statement from Moore that called the allegations "completely false" and "a desperate political attack by National Democrat Party and The Washington Post on this campaign." At the time of publication, Breitbart's front page pointed out that The Washington Post endorsed Moore's opponent in the race.

Moore came to national prominence in 2003 when he was removed from his position of Alabama Supreme Court Justice after defying a federal order to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the Alabama Supreme Court building. As of Wednesday, Moore had a double-digit lead over his opponent, Democrat Doug Jones, in Alabama's Senate race.