Wisconsin Dem pleads with Senate sergeant at arms to protect teen pages from Roy Moore

With only one day remaining for Alabama voters to send accused pedophile Roy Moore packing, at least one Democrat is facing the grim reality that Donald Trump just might succeed at propelling him to the U.S. Senate.

Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore, a strong voice of resistance against Trump, wrote an impassioned letter to Senate Sergeant at Arms Frank Larkin, urging him to take steps to protect young pages from Moore, should he be elected and seated.

Rep. Moore noted that Senate pages can be as young as 16 years old, and that being away from home “puts these young people in a very vulnerable position.”

“The nature of life on Capitol Hill necessitates long hours in close proximity to lawmakers and staff that can create power dynamics of which young people are not fully aware,” Rep. Moore noted.

“It would be unconscionable for Congress to not be vigilant and proactive in taking precautions to safeguard these children given the well sourced allegations against Roy Moore,” she continued.

She referenced the scandal that ended the House page program, in which then-Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) sent sexually explicit messages to underage pages, and asked Larkin if he was “taking steps to prepare the Page Program for the possible election of Roy Moore.”

The Senate sergeant at arms is the “chief law enforcement officer” of the United States Senate, and is responsible for the safety and security of that body. Sadly, that may soon include safeguarding teenagers against one of its own members, which would be a dark milestone in our history.

Hopefully, Roy Moore will be turned away by Alabama voters, or by his potential Senate colleagues should he win. If not, it will continue to be up to Democrats like Rep. Moore to uphold standards of behavior that keep women and children safe in the halls of our Congress, if not from the influence of the current occupant of the Oval Office.