Will Roy Moore Win Because of Gloria Allred? Conservatives Say Lawyer Handed Victory to Alabama Senate Candidate

One of the women accusing Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore of assaulting her as a teenager said on Friday she added the date and venue to an inscription from Moore in her high school yearbook, prompting attacks on her credibility and the competence of her lawyer, Gloria Allred. Many conservatives accused the attorney of mishandling the situation and claimed she'd essentially handed victory to Moore just four days before the election.

Beverly Young Nelson told ABC News she amended an inscription from Moore in her high school yearbook, adding the date and location. Nelson maintained the rest of the note was written by Moore, though he and his lawyers have repeatedly stated he did not sign the yearbook. The inscription states: "To a sweeter more beautiful girl I could not say Merry Christmas. Christmas 1977. Love, Roy Moore, DA. 12-22-77 Olde Hickory House."

In November, Nelson claimed Moore attempted to force her to perform a sex act when she was a teenager in the 1970s and he was the deputy district attorney of Etowah County and in his 30s. She offered the yearbook inscription as evidence to bolster her accusation. At the time, Nelson and her lawyer, Allred, said the inscription was written by Moore and did not mention that Nelson had added the date and location. But Nelson's acknowledgement she wrote part of the note somewhat contradicts that. Some have since claimed Nelson admitted she "forged" the inscription, but this is not the case.

Allred held a press conference on Friday and brought a report from forensic document expert that said the note and signature were written by Moore and said the date and location were written by Nelson to "remind herself who Roy Moore was." It was not clear from her comments when Nelson made those additions.

But many conservatives now seem to believe this is proof Nelson's story was false and, even if they don't, they feel Allred has helped guarantee a win for Moore against his Democratic opponent Doug Jones.

"Gloria Allred might as well have made a $10 million in-kind contribution to Roy Moore," Rich Lowry, editor of the right-leaning National Review, tweeted Friday.

In another tweet, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro expressed similar sentiments: "So does Moore now win by 8 points or 10 points? Well done, Gloria Allred." Shapiro rejected the notion Nelson's admission she added the date and location undoubtedly proves she "forged" the inscription, but said it "doesn't matter politically" because "this will be the peg to dismiss her story."

David French, also of National Review, suggested Nelson has opened the door for all of the women accusing Moore of sexual misconduct (there are nine in total) to be discredited. "One part of one woman's story was wrong, so they're all wrong. That's the reasoning we'll deal with," French tweeted.

Right-wingers known to be loyal to President Donald Trump, who's endorsed Moore, approached Friday's revelation with much less caution. The president's son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted, "I wonder if Gloria Allred got a conflict waiver before being so helpful to the other side of her case???"

Well-known Trump supporter Jack Posobiec tweeted "the entire host of accusations" against Moore has been proved false "by the fraud perpetuated by Gloria Allred."

"In shocking news, accuser Beverly Young Nelson is a liar, Gloria Allred is a liar and Roy Moore is probably the only honest guy in this whole mess," right-wing radio host Bill Mitchell tweeted.

Moore joined the chorus of conservative voices attacking Nelson's credibility on Friday. He tweeted Nelson had admitted she lied, adding, "Let's count how many national outlets will ignore the fact that she admits to lying." Nelson's comments from Friday morning have been widely covered by the national media, and it is incorrect to state she admitted to lying.

Meanwhile, the president planned to hold a rally in Pensacola, Florida, on Friday to urge Alabama voters to support Moore. Trump's approval rating hit a historic low of 32 percent this week, a Pew Research Center poll showed, so it's unclear whether his endorsement will serve in Moore's favor.

A recent Big League-Gravis poll gave Jones a slight edge over the Republican candidate accused of sexual misconduct with teenage girls in his 30s. The poll of 1,276 likely voters showed Jones leading Moore 48 percent to 44 percent. The election is on December 12.