A SPOKESMAN for controversial US Senate hopeful Roy Moore has put forward a disjointed argument for criminalising homosexuality in a bizarre TV interview.
Ted Crockett, a spokesman for Mr Moore’s campaign, appeared on CNN’s The Lead program ahead of Alabama’s special Senate election today where locals will vote to fill the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions, now the attorney-general.
Republican Mr Moore is President Donald Trump’s pick, despite allegations of sexual misconduct with teenagers against the controversial candidate who is dividing the party.
The campaign leading up to polls opening across the state today has been plagued by controversy, and this CNN interview was no exception.
Representing Mr Moore, Mr Crockett told CNN’s Jake Tapper that homosexuality was “a sin” and that Mr Moore would “probably” want to make it illegal if he was successful.
“Homosexuality is a sin in the biblical sense, that is where Roy Moore is in the state of Alabama,” Mr Crockett said.
“This country was founded on the Christian bible ... the Old Testament and the New Testament.”
When asked if Mr Moore wanted to implement “biblical law” and make homosexual conduct illegal, Mr Crockett answered: “Probably.”
But when it came to defining a punishment, his response wasn’t so clear.
“What would the punishment be for a man having sexual relations with another man and for a woman having sexual relations with another woman? What would the punishment be?” Tapper asked his guest.
“It’s just a sin, OK. It’s what my bible tells me,” he said.
“That’s the problem in this country, we need to get back to moral law.”
The race to the Senate between Mr Moore, 70, and his Democratic opponent Doug Jones, 63, is expected to be a tight one.
Alabama voters have not sent a Democrat to the upper chamber of Congress since 1992, but there is little consensus among polls and campaigners themselves are bracing for a close race.
Polls opened at 7am local time in Alabama and close at 7pm local time, (12pm AEDT).
