Video Shows Roy Moore Staffer Physically Accosting Photojournalist at Rally

Tony Goolesby, a county chair for the Roy Moore campaign, was caught on video physically accosting a photojournalist outside an event Monday night.

In the footage, which was posted on Twitter by Conner Sheets from The Birmingham News, Goolesby can be seen shoving the cameraman as he grabs the journalist’s camera lens. The videographer was later identified as a member of a crew from Fox News by a producer on Twitter.

A second man representing the Moore campaign, who has yet to be identified, can be heard demanding that journalists “follow orders.” According to AL.com’s description of the footage, reporters were asked not to film Moore as he walked into Monday night’s event in Henagar, AL.

Goolesby’s aggression certainly aligns with the Moore campaign’s response to allegations that the former judge preyed on teenagers when he was well into his 30s. After The Washington Post first published an account detailing his sexual predation, Moore threatened to sue the paper. Brett Doster, a Moore campaign strategist, described The Post as “a worthless piece of crap” in an email to a reporter from the paper.

All in all, however, Monday’s event unfortunately proved (once again) that voters are more than willing to overlook Moore’s alleged predatory behavior. He reiterated to a crowd of some 200 people that he didn’t know any of the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct.

“These allegations are completely false. They are malicious. Specifically, I do not know any of these women nor have I ever engaged in sexual misconduct with anyone,” Moore said.

Moore went on to echo a familiar refrain: negative press coverage is a fictional distraction. “It’s no different than when The Washington Post brought out the Russia investigation at a time when President Trump is trying to get his agenda passed,” Moore added. “That’s exactly what they are doing. They are taking the attention away and they’re not getting anything they are doing. They are taking attention away from the Senate and from the Congress, who can’t pass legislation.”