WASHINGTON – Senator-elect Doug Jones is already breaking with some prominent Democrats by refusing to call for President Trump to step down over ongoing sexual harassment allegations.
“I don’t think that the president ought to resign at this point,” Jones (D-Ala.) told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
In his first round of Sunday show interviews since securing a stunning victory in red state Alabama over accused sexual predator Roy Moore, Jones said he doesn’t want to get bogged down in Trump’s sexual harassment allegations and would rather work on “real issues.”
“I think we need to move on and not get distracted by those issues,” Jones added. “Let’s get on with the real issues that are facing the people of this country right now.”
That’s at odds with some high-profile Democrats like Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and Cory Booker (NJ) who believe Trump should step down because at least 19 women have accused him of sexual misconduct.
Unlike other politicians who have stepped down, like Sen. Al Franken and Rep. John Conyers, Jones said the difference is the voters knew about these allegations and still elected Trump to the highest office.
“Those allegations were made and he was elected president of the United States,” Jones said. “I think the American people spoke.”
Jones, who said he’s willing to work with Republicans on passing some of Trump’s priorities, like infrastructure investment, said the sexual harassment allegations are not reason to get on Trump’s bad side.
“We need to move on and try to work with some real issues that are facing the country and not worry about getting at odds with the president any more than we have to,” Jones said.
Gillibrand last week said Trump “committed assault” according to the “very credible allegations” and “he should resign.”
Trump, who has routinely denied any wrongdoing, shot back at the junior senator with what was widely panned as a sexually suggestive tweet Tuesday – the same day Democrats turned out in droves for Jones in Alabama to defeat a Trump-backed candidate.
“Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office ‘begging’ for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump,” Trump tweeted.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump was not making a sexual comment.