Former U.S. Sen. candidate Roy Moore took a small step backward from a statement he made Monday when asked about possibly running again for public office.

It's a possibility, Moore said in a statement released Thursday morning.

In a press release with the heading "Judge Roy Moore Corrects Associated Press Story," the two-time Alabama chief justice made clear that he has no plans to run for office at this time. But that decision could change.

The statement from Moore in full:

"At a press conference on April 30, 2018 announcing the filing of a defamation lawsuit against my accusers, a reporter asked me if I had plans to run for public office again. "I have no plans at this time for running for anything," I said. The reporter continued: "Not even Governor?" I answered: "No."

"The Associated Press then sent out a story, picked up by Time Magazine, that misquoted me as saying I had "no plans to run for any office again, including that of Alabama governor.

"To clarify, as I said in my response, I have no plans at this time to run for office. Nevertheless, plans change. If the opportunity arises to make a difference, I will have no reluctance to again run for political office, including that of Governor."

Moore spoke about his political future at a press conference Monday in Gadsden where it was announced he was filing a political conspiracy lawsuit against five people - including three women who claimed romantic or sexual encounters with Moore when they were teens.

Another defendant said Moore grabbed her on the buttocks in 1992 and a Gadsden male who has friendships with two of the women who made accusations against Moore.

Moore has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Moore is currently involved in three lawsuits related to the accusations that were made 33 days before U.S. Senate special election last year won by Democrat Doug Jones. Moore was the Republican nominee.

Leigh Corfman, who made the most serious allegations against Moore in saying he undressed her at his rural Etowah County home and touched her over her underwear when she was 14 and he was 32, first sued Moore in January. Moore filed a counter lawsuit in April.

Corfman is also among the defendants in the lawsuit brought by Moore earlier this week.