Alabama US Senate candidate Barry Moore threatened to sue journalists who asked about military service

U.S. Rep. Barry Moore has taken an aggressive stance against local media, threatening legal action against journalists inquiring into the specifics of his military record. The congressman, who has served in Congress since 2021, is currently locked in a heated Republican runoff for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat against challenger Jared Hudson.

The Military Record Controversy

Both candidates bring military backgrounds to the race. According to information provided to 205focus.com, Moore served in the Alabama National Guard and the Army Reserves, while Hudson served in the Navy. Moore's campaign reported that he served in the National Guard from 1988-1991 and the Reserves from 1991-1997, totaling eight years of service with a final rank of at least E5. His attorney, Nadin Linthorst, later specified a pay rank of E6 and clarified that his active duty time included approximately two months in 1989 without a deployment.

Tensions rose after 205focus.com reached out to both campaigns for details on their service history. While Hudson has proactively shared his DD214 form on social media, Moore’s camp has dismissed the inquiries as a political hit job. On June 3, campaign spokesman Ben Martin stated the questions were intended to discredit not only the congressman but also the service of the nearly 40,000 Alabamians currently serving in the Guard and Reserves.

Legal Threats Before Publication

Despite no article being published at the time, Moore’s legal team issued a cease-and-desist letter on June 4, demanding that 205focus.com refrain from releasing what they termed as "false, misleading and defamatory information." Reports indicate that at least two other Alabama publications faced similar threats regarding potential coverage of Moore's military service.

The preemptive legal threats have drawn criticism for their unusual nature. J. Evans Bailey, general counsel for the Alabama Press Association, noted the difficulty of claiming defamation before any content has actually been produced. "Until you know what’s in the article, how could you know it’s defamation?" Bailey said. "It’s very unusual."

The Letter to Walz

The scrutiny intensified following criticism regarding a 2024 letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed by Moore. In that correspondence, Moore was listed with the title "Staff Sergeant – Army National Guard (Ret.)." His attorney, Linthorst, insisted that Moore never claimed that title nor affirmed any third-party attribution of it, maintaining that the facts of his service record are clear and not subject to interpretation.