Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Republicans would be forced to swear in Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore if he wins his election, but believes he would “immediately have an issue with the Ethics Committee.”
The Kentucky Republican’s comments come shortly after the Republican National Committee reversed its decision to pull funding from the race and President Donald Trump formally endorsed the candidate. Moore faces allegations he sexually assaulted underage girls.
McConnell stated his remarks Sunday saying he’ll let “Alabama make the call” on whether he should be elected should not be taken as an endorsement.
“There’s been no change of heart — I had hoped earlier he would withdraw as a candidate. That obviously isn’t going to happen,” he told reporters Tuesday. “If he were to be elected he would immediately have an ethics committee case and the committee would take a look at the situation and give us advice.”
A number of GOP senators — including National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Cory Gardner — have called for Moore to be expelled from the Senate if he wins. McConnell said an ethics investigation would need to take place before such actions could be taken.
“My understanding is, based on 1969 Supreme Court decision, we would have no option but to swear him in because apparently, the Supreme Court held that the only criteria are do you meet the constitutional standards,” the Senate majority leader said. “As a member of the Senate, I’ve already predicted what immediately will unfold and we’ll see what happens if that happens.”