Roy Moore accuser Leigh Corfman files defamation lawsuit

Jan. 4 (UPI) -- One of several women to accuse Roy Moore of sexual misconduct filed a defamation lawsuit against the former U.S. Senate candidate Thursday.

Leigh Corfman filed the lawsuit in Montgomery County, Ala., Circuit Court, alleging Moore and his campaign "have defamed Ms. Corfman, repeatedly and in all forms of media, calling her a liar and questioning her motivation for publicly disclosing that Mr. Moore sexually abused her in 1979."

The lawsuit seeks the defendants retract all defamatory statements made against Corfman, issue a public apology and refrain from further defamatory statements.

Corfman isn't seeking financial compensation outside of reimbursement of the costs and expenses of the lawsuit.

"The decision to sue Mr. Moore and his campaign committee was difficult, but they need to be held responsible for their actions," Corfman said. "By this lawsuit, I seek to do what I could not do as a 14-year-old -- hold Mr. Moore and those who enable him accountable."

Corfman told The Washington Post in November that when she was 14 years old Moore -- a 32-year-old assistant district attorney -- took her to his house, undressed her, touched her over her underpants and bra, and guided her hand to touch his genitals over his underwear.

Moore has since called Corfman's allegations, which brought attention to his Senate campaign against Democrat Doug Jones, "politically motivated," "completely false" and "malicious."

He also told Sean Hannity of Fox News he never met Corfman, although he didn't deny he may have dated teenagers while he was in his 30s.

Corfman's lawsuit details 11 instances in which Moore denied her allegations or denied knowing her at all. It also identified five individuals in Moore's campaign who "have repeated Mr. Moore's false denials."