Kneejerk defenses of Roy Moore following allegations that he had sexual relations with teenage girls are inevitable, but do they also have to be this downright awful?
Roy Moore married a woman 14 years younger and they have a blessed marriage 33 years later.
— Auditor Jim Zeigler (@jimzeigler) November 9, 2017
Why would you go there?
Are you a real thing?
— Caleb Howe (@CalebHowe) November 9, 2017
Alabama state auditor is getting what's commonly know as Ratioed.https://t.co/FpuUXppmsx
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) November 9, 2017
And how.
14 years younger isn't 14
— kevin (@kvnpkrwrd) November 9, 2017
Do you need the difference between age and age gap explained to you?
— Some nerdy chick (@imightbenerdy) November 9, 2017
So it’s not that he had a thing for 14 y/o girls, it’s that he has a thing for girls that are exactly 14 years younger than him?
— Josh Rubin (@jrubin) November 9, 2017
Do you seriously not understand the difference between a 38 year old marrying a 24 year old and a 32 year old molesting a FOURTEEN YEAR OLD???? It's not just the age gap–it's that she was a minor!
— Leslie Crow (@MsCrowSays) November 9, 2017
You're making excuses for pedophelia. Rethink the life choices that got you to this point.
— James Garcia Alver (@JayAlver) November 9, 2017
— Chairman Daou (@SocialistTaco) November 9, 2017
There are no words to express how angry Zeigler's statement makes me.
— Debbie Rhoden (@DebbieRhoden57) November 9, 2017
Think it couldn’t possibly get worse? Well, it gets worse:
Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler, a Moore backer: "Even if you accept the Washington Post’s report as being completely true, it’s much ado about very little. " #ALSEN #alpolitics
— Brian Lyman (@lyman_brian) November 9, 2017
NEW: Alabama state auditor defends Roy Moore against sexual allegations, invokes Mary and Joseph https://t.co/miAU7C7fFL by @PhilipWegmann pic.twitter.com/NnjKEGR7PJ
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) November 9, 2017
More from the Washington Examiner:
“There is nothing to see here,” Alabama State Auditor Jim Ziegler tells the Washington Examiner. “The allegations are that a man in his early 30s dated teenage girls. Even the Washington Post report says that he never had sexual intercourse with any of the girls and never attempted sexual intercourse.”
…
“Take the Bible. Zachariah and Elizabeth for instance. Zachariah was extremely old to marry Elizabeth and they became the parents of John the Baptist,” Ziegler says choosing his words carefully before invoking Christ. “Also take Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus.”
“There’s just nothing immoral or illegal here,” Ziegler concluded. “Maybe just a little bit unusual.”
What in the ever-loving hell kind of sh*t is that?
If I was a Roy Moore supporter I'd probably want this guy to shut up asap. https://t.co/67t92Ld0A6 pic.twitter.com/GNXp7p0O8q
— Jason (@CounterMoonbat) November 9, 2017
The biblical account of Mary and Joseph used in an attempt to rationalize away pedophilia?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? https://t.co/F7nQic8RZd
— Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) November 9, 2017
The bar is being lowered through the crust of the earth.
— Patrick Daugherty (@RotoPat) November 9, 2017
That is a horrifying statement from Ziegler
— OneNationUnderGod (@unitedforunity) November 9, 2017
What a disgusting response.
— Ethan Gregory (@EthanDaAmerican) November 9, 2017
Despicable. https://t.co/d36pDO5lSL
— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) November 9, 2017
You're a very sick person if you think that excuses his preying on young teens.
— miss speech (@miss_speech) November 9, 2017
That is a defense worse than no defense. We are not in a semi-tribal society.
— W. Clayton (@weciv01) November 9, 2017
Holy sh*t.
— oufenix (D) (@oufenix) November 9, 2017
“Ok, how are we going to defend against these child rape charges?”
“Bald faced ignorance of and blasphemy against our voters’ faith?”— EmperorCoolidge (@connor_medcalf) November 9, 2017
what a piece of shit https://t.co/WojCtTaJqb
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) November 9, 2017
Remind me never to let @jimzeigler anywhere near my teenage daughter or a civics classroom full of young girls. Shame on him! Disgusting.
— Jennifer Garlen (@jennifergarlen) November 9, 2017
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional tweets as well as additional text for clarity.
