‘God Ordained Marriage as the Union of One and One Woman’ Moore Insists
Roy Moore, the only person to ever be relieved of their job as chief justice twice, responded to a ruling Wednesday by the Alabama State Supreme Court that upheld the decision to suspend him last year. The Alabama Court of the Judiciary decided on suspending Moore after a recommendation from the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission. Moore was found guilty on six charges of violating the canons of judicial ethics after he sent a letter to all state probate judges instructing them to not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. That letter came after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision.
Calling the juridical actions against him “politically motivated,” Moore accused the Southern Poverty Law Center, which had filed a complaint against Moore, and “transgendered and homosexual groups,” of conspiring to remove him from public office over his opposition to same-sex marriage.
“Today I remain chief justice of Alabama Supreme Court,” Moore told a small gathering. While he retains the title for technical reasons, Moore is suspended until the end of his term, and is age-limited from running for his old seat again.
“I have done my duty under the laws of this state to uphold the sanctity of marriage stand and the undeniable truth that God ordained marriage as the union of one and one woman,” Moore said, as AL.com reported.
“I consider the sentence to be illegal,” Moore, wearing a cross in his lapel, continued, “and a clear disregard for the will of the people who elected me to office of chief justice.”
Moore has long been rumored to be interested in running for governor or for the U.S. Senate. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley resigned from office last week after pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges. Former Alabama Attorney General was appointed to replace Senator Jeff sessions, who is now the U.S. Attorney General. Moore could run for either office.
Southern Poverty Law Center president Richard Cohen told AL.com, “Roy Moore’s violation of the Canons of Judicial Ethics was egregious. He got what he deserved. We’ll all be better off without the Ayatollah of Alabama as our chief justice.”
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Image: Screenshot via WVTM 13 News/YouTube