Santorum: Moore will face ethics investigation whether Trump ‘supports it or not’

Former Republican Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) said Tuesday he believes the Senate will launch an ethics investigation into Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore (R) if he wins the election even if President Trump doesn’t support it.

“I have no doubt if Roy Moore wins tonight that there will be an ethics investigation,” Santorum said during CNN’s election night coverage.

“Really? Even if the President doesn’t support it?” CNN host Anderson Cooper asked.

{mosads}“Doesn’t matter whether the president supports it or not, the president isn’t a member of the Senate,” Santorum said. “The president isn’t up for election in 2018, but a bunch of senators are and a bunch of House members are and they’re the ones that are worried about having to wear Roy Moore as an anchor around their neck.”

Santorum later said if Moore wins and an ethics investigation finds evidence of wrongdoing, there will be “tremendous pressure” for him to resign. If Moore refuses, Santorum said, he believes the Senate will expel Moore.

Moore has been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct, including some who allege Moore initiated sexual encounters with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s.

The Alabama Republican has denied the charges, calling them a politicly motivated attempt to sabotage his campaign, and refused calls from top Republican leaders to drop out of the race.

Multiple Republican senators, including Tim Scott (S.C.), have said that Moore will face an ethics investigation if he wins the special election.