Roy Moore accuser's home burns down in possible arson

The home of a woman who had accused Senate candidate Roy Moore of groping her burned down in what is being investigated as possible arson, local media reported Friday.

Tina Johnson, who said in November that Moore grabbed her rear end in his office in 1991, reported that her home in Gadsden, Alabama, had caught fire on Tuesday, according to AL.com . The local fire department was able to put out the blaze but not before Johnson’s home and belongings were destroyed.


“I am devastated, just devastated,” Johnson told AL.com Friday morning. “We have just the clothes on our backs.”

Johnson, her husband and her grandson, who all lived in the house, were not home when the fire broke out, prompting their neighbors to phone it in.

Authorities say the fire is now being looked into as a potential arson.

“That fire is still under investigation by the Etowah County Arson Task Force,” said Natalie Barton, a spokeswoman for the Etowah County Sheriff’s Department. “A suspect of interest is being spoken to. But there have been no charges, to my knowledge, related to the fire at this time.”

POLITICO Playbook newsletter Sign up today to receive the #1-rated newsletter in politics Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Moore, the Republican nominee in Alabama’s special election, was backed by President Donald Trump but lost the hotly contested race to Democrat Doug Jones last month. Jones was sworn in Wednesday.

The Moore campaign became mired in controversy after several women came forward in November with allegations of sexual misconduct, assault and molestation against the candidate, a former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.

Earlier this week, Leigh Corfman, the woman who said Moore initiated a sexual encounter with her when she was 14 and he was in his 30s, said she is suing the former Senate candidate for what she said was defamation.

Corfman said Moore and his campaign subjected her to personal attacks since her allegation was published in an explosive Washington Post report that detailed his efforts to date several teenagers while serving as an assistant district attorney in Etowah County.

Johnson was 28 when the alleged episode with Moore took place.

Moore has strongly denied the allegations.



This article tagged under: Senate

Alabama

Roy Moore