VESTAVIA HILLS, Alabama — Judge Roy Moore, the GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate here in Alabama, received a standing ovation from veterans and Republican supporters here at a public library at his first public event since the Washington Post smeared him earlier this week.

Moore’s condemnation of the Post came towards the end of a nearly 30-minute rousing speech honoring veterans and standing up for the principles of the United States just outside Birmingham here on Saturday morning.

“Now I want to address something that some people have come here to hear about,” Moore said in front 50 or so supporters, turning his attention to the giant pack of media who came to Alabama to report on this. “Shortly after becoming the Republican nominee for the United States Senate, the Washington Post began an attack on the Foundation for Moral Law, on my wife, and on me. For weeks, we read about my salary which they distorted, about taxes where they said we were paid money we never got. But we endured that.”

“Later, they came out and endorsed my opponent in this race,” he continued. “Just two days ago, the Washington Post published yet another attack on my character and reputation in a desperate attempt to stop my political campaign for the United States Senate. These attacks about a minor are completely false and untrue about something that happened nearly 40 years ago. But more than being completely false and untrue, they are very hurtful to me personally.”

“I’ve been married to my wife Kayla for nearly 33 years. We have four children. I have one daughter, and I have five granddaughters. I have the highest regard for the protection of young children,” Moore explained. “When I returned to Gadsen 40 years ago after military service, I went to work for the office of the District Attorney. As a student of the law, I have served in public office off and on for the last 40 years. To be attacked for allegations of sexual misconduct contradicts my entire career in law.”

“I wanted to make it clear to the media present and the people present, I have not provided alcoholic beverages—beer or anything else—to a minor. I have not been guilty of sexual misconduct with anyone,” he declared. “These allegations came only four and a half weeks before the general election on Dec. 12. Why now?”

“For forty years I have been closely scrutinized in the press and the public media. I have had investigations by the attorney general, I’ve had investigations by the judicial inquiry commission on more than one occasion, I’ve had investigations by the court of the judiciary, I’ve been in five statewide campaigns in which they do opposition research—they do investigations, as you can see in every one I’ve ever run—and three county elections and two major controversies over religious liberty and the Ten Commandments and same-sex marriage,” he continued. “I’ve been investigated more than any other person in this country. That grown women would wait forty years to come right before an election to bring charges is absolutely unbelievable.”

At that point, the crowd in attendance rose, giving Moore a standing ovation.

“The Democrats, and the Republican establishment, know the importance of this election,” Moore continued. “In fact, most people in America know the importance of this election. They view it as a prelude to the elections coming in 2018. It may very well determine the future of our country.”

“My opponent is 11 points behind—that came out just days before this article. They’re desperate. This article is a prime example of fake news, an attempt to divert attention from the true issues that face our country like healthcare, military readiness, tax reform, immigration, and the national debt,” he said. “We do not intend to let the Democrats or the establishment Republicans or anybody else behind this story stop this campaign. There are investigations going on. In the next few days, there will be revelations about the motivations and the content of this article. They will be brought to the public. We fully expect the people of Alabama to see through this charade and to vote in the [election] coming up.”

“As Mr. Armistead said, we do not engage in negative campaigning. We haven’t, and I’ve been blistered with articles and attacks the last two to three months and on television,” Moore stated. “I do not expect the Washington Post to stop. I think they have a political agenda. And I think they are running that agenda, and everybody in this room and every person watching on these cameras should ask themselves that isn’t it strange that after 40 years of constant investigation these people have waited until four weeks prior to the general election to bring their complaints? It’s not a coincidence. It’s an intentional act to stop my campaign. May God bless you, the state of Alabama, and the United States of America.”

The crowd rose to give Judge Moore a second standing ovation as he wrapped his speech. This story focused on Judge Moore’s comments on the allegations. More to come on the actual content of his speech about Veterans Day, including his time in Vietnam.