Mitch McConnell says Roy Moore 'not fit' to serve in the Senate, won't rule out expulsion option

Show Caption Hide Caption McConnell reiterates 'Moore should step aside' Repeating assertions that GOP candidate Roy Moore should step aside in the Alabama Senate race runoff, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he has spoken to both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in recent days. (Nov. 14)

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday did not rule out trying to expel Roy Moore if the Alabama Republican wins a U.S. Senate seat in that state's special election next month.

“He’s obviously not fit to be in the United States Senate,” the Kentucky Republican told reporters on Tuesday. “And we’ve looked at all the options to try to prevent that from happening.”

McConnell and other Republicans in Washington are trying to push Moore to drop out of the Alabama Senate race in the wake of allegations that the controversial ex-judge pursued sexual relationships with four teenage girls when he was in his early 30s. A fifth woman said on Monday that Moore assaulted her when she was a 16-year-old high school student working as a waitress at a restaurant that Moore, then a prosecutor, frequented.

Moore has staunchly denied allegations that he assaulted any of the young girls or had improper relationships with them. And he has brushed off McConnell’s pleas, saying he has no intention of quitting the race.

On Monday, Sen. Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican and chairman of the Senate GOP campaign committee, said the Senate should vote to expel Moore if he wins the Alabama contest. McConnell did not explicitly endorse that idea when asked about it on Tuesday. But he suggested it was one of several options Republicans were considering.

McConnell also said he expected President Trump to weigh in on the matter soon. Trump returns from an extended trip to Asia late Tuesday night.

“Obviously this close to the election, it’s a very complicated matter,” McConnell said. “And I think once the president and his team gets back, we’ll have further discussion.”

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