Moore backer says ‘he’s the closest thing to a Founding Father’

A supporter of Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore (R) praised him at a rally on Friday, calling the former state Supreme Court chief justice “a man beyond reproach” and comparing him to the Founding Fathers.

“He is the closest thing to a Founding Father that we have seen in our lifetimes,” Jennifer Case said at a “Women for Roy Moore” rally outside the Alabama state Capitol.

Case was one of several speakers at the event, including Moore’s wife Kayla, who said Moore would not step down from the Alabama Senate race in the face of mounting sexual misconduct allegations.

{mosads}”After all the attacks against me, against my family, against the Foundation and against my husband, he will not step down,” Kayla Moore said at a press conference following the rally.

She also said that President Trump owes the Moores a “thank you” for taking up the media spotlight in recent weeks.

“I personally think [Trump] owes us a thank you,” Moore said. “Have you noticed you are not hearing too much about Russia? To the president I would say now is a good time to get things done in Congress.”

Multiple women have accused Roy Moore of sexual misconduct in recent weeks, including one woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 16 and another who said Moore initiated a sexual encounter with her when she was 14 and he was 32.

Moore has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated.

Republican leaders in Congress have called on Moore to exit the race, and the Republican National Committee cut off fundraising ties to Moore’s campaign this week.

But Moore has vowed he won’t step down from the race, instead calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to step down.

“This is an effort from Mitch McConnell and his cronies to steal this election from the people of Alabama,” Moore said at a press conference Thursday. “I want to tell you who needs to step down: That’s Mitch McConnell.”