More Than $175,000 Raised for Moore Accuser After House Fire
Neighbors say a man with a history of public intoxication was seen near the house before the fire
More than $175,000 has been raised to assist one of Roy Moore’s accusers whose house was destroyed in a fire last week.
Tina Johnson’s home in Gadsden, Alabama, caught fire on Wednesday, but authorities said they do not believe it was related to her accusing the disgraced former Senate candidate, ABC News reported.
Former Obama administration staffer Katie Jacobs Stanton set up a GoFundMe page to help Johnson raise money to rebuild.
As of Monday morning, $175,545 had been raised from 5,555 donors.
“I think, like everybody, I just had a very strong reaction,” Stanton told AL.com. “This poor woman, she’s now been victimized twice. And this is so upsetting for anybody, losing their home, everything you know, so quickly and violently.”
Stanton said on Twitter on Saturday when the campaign had only raised $36,000 that she was in contact with Johnson on the next steps for fundraising.
Overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity of so many big-hearted Americans who have helped Tina Johnson rebuild her home and life. So far, we have raised over $36,000. I’m in touch with Ms. Johnson and the @gofundme team on next steps. #LoveTrumpsHate ❤️🇺🇸
— Katie Jacobs Stanton (@KatieS) January 6, 2018
Still, Johnson told AL.com that she faces significant challenges and that Etowah County property owners don’t want to rent to her after the fire.
“They think, if they burned that house down, they might burn my house down. They have nothing available,” she said.
Johnson thanked everyone who donated to the fund.
“I just thank everyone all across America from the bottom of my heart,” she said. “I just cannot give them the proper words. God is good.”
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Johnson and neighbors said they saw a man who had a history of public intoxication walking around the house before and during the fire.
“He’s been trouble in the neighborhood for a while,” said Kevin Tallant, who lives across the street from Johnson’s home.
Johnson accused Moore of grabbing her in the 1990s when she met him, according to AL.com.
Moore lost to Democrat Doug Jones in last month’s special election and denied all accusations of sexual misconduct.