Ernst "not thrilled" for Moore's support for the Fed

The trend in the Senate shows signs of reversal against Stephen Moore, the choice of President Donald Trump for a seat on the Federal Reserve, with a member of the Republican leadership who expresses his deep concern at his derogatory remarks about women.

"His past writings are ridiculous," Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) told reporters Monday night. "I'm not enthusiastic about supporting him, let's say it like that."

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For his specific objections, Ernst added: "Look at his writings … I am a woman."

In a 2002 column, Moore, who has not yet been officially named, decried the fact that the NCAA had allowed female referees. "Is there not an area in life where men can take a vacation for women?" He wrote.

He said that women should participate in sporting events "if and only if, they look like [sports journalist] Bonnie Bernstein ", added that Bernstein should wear high halter.

He also wrote in 2014 that women who earned more than men could "disrupt the stability of the family." On Sunday, he apologized for some of the things he wrote about women but was not specific.

Moore's selection by Trump had already sparked negative reactions, as he was a clear political ally of the president and had called on Fed chairman Jerome Powell to be sacked for supporting interest rate hikes. Last year.
But her humiliating comments about women have added an additional hurdle to her path to potential confirmation.

While senior administration officials said they still supported Moore for the Fed, the White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, said Monday morning that she was reviewing her plans. previous comments.

Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) Stated that he thought Moore would be an interesting choice for the Fed, but added that he also had scruples about what he had said about women.

"I think everyone is doing it," he told reporters. "My wife is a teacher, you know? She has gone through a lot of ceilings and everything, "adding that he has a granddaughter who" thinks he can do it all ".

"I know him, but a lot of things have come up about his taxes, his child support and his alimony, what he wrote about women," he said. . He said that all things would be considered when he was appointed. Shelby is a prominent member of the Banking Committee, who would be responsible for Moore's appointment.

Senator Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), The only Republican on the committee, gave no indication of her opinion.

"We will have a thoughtful process like every confirmation," said McSally, a veteran of the US Air Force.

Notably, Moore also criticized the concept of women in combat in his column on a woman refereeing a men's game. "And afterwards?" Women invited to stag nights "Women in combat?" (Oh yes, they have already done so.)

Ernst also served in the National Guard of the Iowa Army.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she was focusing on something else but that she would be doing her homework on Moore. When asked if she had any reservations, she told reporters, "Just the bookings you made. I will have to determine how much it costs. "

About "This Week" on ABC, Moore said he wanted the focus to be on his economic ideas.

"These articles you are talking about are 17 or 18 years old," he said. "Frankly, I did not even remember writing some of those things so long ago."

"Now you've asked me if I'm sorry for some of these columns," he added. These were humorous columns, but some were not funny, so I apologize. I am embarrassed by some of these things that I have written. But I think we should go back to the question of whether I qualify for the Federal Reserve. "

He also addressed another comment, namely that Cincinnati and Cleveland are the "underarms of America," as he said in 2014, claiming he no longer thought it.

"I'm a boy from Chicago," he said Sunday. "Cincinnati and Cleveland were our rivals. But, you know, the irony of this statement made five years ago is that today, the economy of Ohio is booming. I just wrote an article saying: Cincinnati and Cleveland are not the armpits of America, they have become the economic arsenal, Ohio is booming. And unfortunately, my hometown, Chicago, my home state, Illinois, is in the wells. "

"Ohio is doing all the right things," he said. "No, I do not believe that Ohio is the armpit anymore."