Reporters from the Washington Post were banned from entering failed Senate candidate Roy Moore’s election party last night.
Controversial Republican Moore was defeated by Democrat Doug Jones in a stunning upset in the Alabama poll yesterday.
But as his campaign team gathered in Montgomery to watch the results come in, journalists from the Post were told they would have to report on the evening from outside.
The paper’s social media reporter, Kayla Epstein, even took photographs of her banishment. She joked: ‘I’m reporting from outside Roy Moore’s Election Night party on the Snapchat. Tune in to see what I can see!’ Epstein also took a surreptitious picture of a buffet at the party, which she spotted through locked doors
The Post, which published a story last month featuring claims by several women that Moore dated them when he was in his 30s and they in their teens, explained: ‘We were denied credentials and when our reporters asked to enter they were told no.’
The paper’s social media reporter, Kayla Epstein, even took photographs of her banishment.
She joked: ‘I’m reporting from outside Roy Moore’s Election Night party on the Snapchat. Tune in to see what I can see!’
Republican US Senate candidate Roy Moore takes the stage upon arriving at his election night party in Montgomery, Alabama
Roy Moore’s supporters hug as he loses the race in a historic upset to Democrat Doug Jones, who’s the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Alabama in 31 years
Mike Tate (left) holds his son Seth as he and his family await the arrival of Roy Moore at the Republican’s election night party in Montgomery, Alabama
Roy Moore’s supporters hug in sadness as the election is called for Democrat Doug Jones less than two and a half hours after polls closed
Epstein also took a surreptitious picture of a buffet at the party, which she spotted through locked doors.
Politics reporter Jenna Johnson, meanwhile, also uploaded photographs of the party from the wrong side of the closed doors.
Reporters from the newspaper were also told to leave a Moore rally in Midland City on Monday, according to a spokeswoman for the campaign.
Moore was infuriated by the Post’s piece alleging he had dated underage girls.
He branded it a ‘terrible, disgusting article’ and accused the newspaper of pursuing a ‘political agenda’.
After it was published, more women came out against Moore with similar claims.
He strongly denied all of the accusations, stressing that the women had waited ’40 years’ and then only come forward ’30 days before’ the election.
In a stunning victory aided by scandal, Democrat Doug Jones won Alabama’s special Senate election
Jones defeated Moore by 50 to 48 per cent of the vote, with 99 per cent of precincts reporting.
There were just under 21,000 votes separating the winner and the loser, out of 1.3 million cast.
Moore complained in his speech: ‘Part of the problem with this campaign is we’ve been painted in an unfavorable and unfaithful light.’
‘We’ve been put in a hole, if you will,’ he said, referencing the Bible’s Psalm 40 and speaking rapidly.