WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. senator candidate on Friday denied allegations that he had made sexual advancements on a 14-year-old girl decades ago, and that he couldn't remember if he dated teen girls when he was in his 30s.
"I don't know Ms. Corfman from anybody. The allegations of sexual misconduct with her are completely false," Roy Moore of the U.S. State of Alabama told a radio interview.
When asked if he had dated teenagers as an adult, Moore said: "If I did, I'm not going to dispute these things, but I don't remember anything like that."
The allegations against Moore surfaced recently as Alabama is gearing up to vote for its representatives in the U.S. Senate. As a solid red state, Alabama has been represented in the U.S. Senate by two Republican senators since 1996. Moore was nominated by the GOP to fill in the vacancy left by Jeff Sessions, who now heads the Department of Justice.
U.S. media have previously reported that a woman said Moore had initiated a sexual encounter with her in 1979, when she was 14 and he was 32. Three other women said he had asked or taken them on dates when they were teenagers.
Since the scandal broke, the Republican Party has tried to contain the damage by distancing itself from Moore.
"The president also believes that if these allegations are true, Judge Moore will do the right thing and step aside," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Friday. Moore has served on the bench of the Alabama Supreme Court.
Since Moore's interview, two Republican Senators, Steve Daines and Mike Lee, have officially withdrawn their endorsements of Moore.
"Having read the detailed description of the incidents, as well as the response from Judge Moore and his campaign, I can no longer endorse his candidacy for the US Senate," Lee tweeted.
It is yet unclear if the revelations will alter the result of the election, which will all but certain go to Moore without the allegations.
A Washington Post analysis said the scandal may discourage Republican voters to hit the polls, but it'll still be difficult for them to fight for the Democrat contender.
