McConnell on Roy Moore Being in the Senate: The People of Alabama Should Decide

STEPHANOPOULOS: Next week, we have that special election in Alabama. Roy Moore, who you believe should step aside, the Republican candidate. You’ve said you believe his accusers. If he wins, will you insist on referring his case to the Senate ethics committee?

MCCONNELL: Well, I think — we’re going to let the people of Alabama decide a week from Tuesday who they want to send to the Senate. And then we’ll address the matter appropriately.

I have already said in the past that I thought this was a matter that would have to be considered by the committee. Ultimately, it would be up to them to make that decision. And they’ll make it, depending upon whether Judge Moore ends up coming to the Senate.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you believe that Judge Moore should be in the Senate?

MCCONNELL: I’m going to let the people of Alabama make the call. This election has been going on a long time. There’s been a lot of discussion about it. They’re going to make the decision a week from Tuesday.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But you are prepared to take action if he is, indeed, elected?

MCCONNELL: The ethics committee will have to consider the matters that have been litigated in the campaign should that particular candidate win.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Will you making a recommendation to the ethics committee?

MCCONNELL: Look, they decide what to go forward.

This is a very balanced committee. It’s the only committee in the senate that is an even number of Democrats and Republicans. Neither side can take advantage of the other. In fact, I was chairman of the ethics committee 25-some odd years ago when I had to make the recommendation to expel the chairman of the finance committee Senator Packwood over a case of sexual harassment.

So, the Senate has been sensitive to these matters for a long time. And the ethics committee will handle this in the regular ordered way that we do this in the Senate. And I’m confident they’ll come up with the right conclusion.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You have had a consistent history on this.