Roy Moore and Doug Jones fight to energize core supporters
Republican Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones are fighting to draw out core groups of supporters ahead of the December 12 special election.
A church in Alabama has come under fire this week for displaying a sign that compared the Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore to Jesus.
WHNT-TV reported that Living Ways Ministries Church in Opelika - a small town about two hours southeast of Birmingham – was bombarded with phone calls for displaying a sign that read: “They falsely accused Jesus. Vote Roy Moore.”
Moore has been embroiled in accusations that he had ongoing sexual relations with teenage girls – as young as 14 – while he was in his early thirties.
Under the Johnson Amendment of 1954, non-profit organizations may not – with a few stipulations – participate in political activity or endorse/oppose candidates.
Critics of the church’s endorsement of Moore argued that it should be deprived of its tax-exempt status.
President Trump called for a reapeal of the Johnson Amendment during his presidential campaign.
Trump endorsed Roy Moore on Monday tweeting, "Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama," the president tweeted.
The Republican National Committee soon followed with its own endorsement.
The pastor of Living Ways reportedly requested that the sign be removed two days after it was displayed in front of the church.
The message has since been taken down.
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