Columnist escorted out of CPAC after calling out conservatives for supporting Trump, Moore

Jessica Estepa | USA TODAY

In the final hours of this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, conservative columnist Mona Charen was escorted out Saturday after remarks she made about conservatives supporting politicians despite sexual misconduct allegations against then.

Charen, who was speaking on an all-women panel titled "#UsToo: Left Out by the Left," rebuked conservatives for excusing the behavior of both President Trump and Alabama Republican Roy Moore.

"I'm disappointed in people on our side for being hypocrites on sexual harassers and abusers of women who are in our party, who are in the White House, who brag about their extramarital affairs, who brag about mistreating women," she said. "And because he happens to have an 'R' after his name, we look the other way, we don't complain."

She also criticized Republicans who endorsed Moore, who was accused of pursuing and assaulting teenagers while he was in his 30s.

"You cannot claim that you stand for women and put up with that," she said.

Shouts of "not true" came from the audience afterward.

Mona Charen, who stunned #CPAC by rebuking conservatives for excusing the behavior of Donald Trump and Roy Moore, was just escorted outside by 3 security guards after her speech. More in @POLITICOMag story later. — Tim Alberta (@TimAlberta) February 24, 2018

I cannot emphasize how surprising Charen's criticism was, and how upset many of the conservatives in the audience seemed. There seemed to be indignation that she would think to mention him as a potential harasser. https://t.co/ZJ4HEBzoPT — Alexander Nazaryan (@alexnazaryan) February 24, 2018

#CPAC2018 "hashtag ustoo" panel devolves into shouts and walkouts in audience when panelist Mona Charen insists Republicans have to stop tolerating Republican men who mistreat women, even those "in the White House" — Beth Ethier (@missdeutsch) February 24, 2018

Yikes—CPAC panelist Mona Charen says there are people "sitting in the White House who brag about their extramarital affairs, who brag about mistreating women, and because he happens to have an 'R' by his name, we look the other way."



The crowd did not like that. — Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) February 24, 2018

At least 16 women have accused Trump of sexually harassing or assaulting them. He and the White House have denied the allegations. And nine women have made a variety of allegations against Moore, from him pursuing relationships with them to assault.

Charen has previously voiced her disapproval of conservative support for men who face sexual misconduct allegations.

Last November, after revelations about Moore pursuing teenagers while he was in his 30s surfaced, Charen wrote in a column: