Alabama’s Chief Justice, Roy Moore, is a hero among conservatives across the country. He has long stood for traditional values, and for strict adherence to our Constitution which has led him into some difficult fights with the progressive left. His latest run-in may leave him in a very difficult situation.
Last year a federal judge in Alabama released an opinion that should have forced the state to legalize gay marriages, but Judge Moore stepped in first.
Alabama’s chief justice of the state supreme court told state judges that they are required to maintain a ban on issuing same-sex marriage licenses, despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling such bans unconstitutional last year.
Chief justice Roy S. Moore cited “confusion and uncertainty” as to what effect the Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which stroke down gay marriage bans, had on already existing orders, NPR reported on Wednesday.
“Until further decision by the Alabama Supreme Court, the existing orders … that Alabama probate judges have a ministerial duty not to issue any marriage license contrary to the Alabama Sanctity of Marriage Amendment or the Alabama Marriage Protection Act remain in full force and effect,” Moore wrote.
His decision to order state judges to belay the ruling of the federal judge led to a complaint from the Southern Poverty Law Center, whose president recently said, “He is such an egomaniac and such a religious zealot that he thinks he can ignore court orders with impunity. For the sake of our state, he should be kicked out of office.” While the SPLC may not like how Judge Moore presides over the court, most polls show that the people of Alabama are perfectly content to have him as the highest judge in the state. When AL.com reached out to the judge for a comment he promised t continue acting in Alabama’s best interests, even as the LGBT lobby continued there attacks on him.
“The Judicial Inquiry Commission has no authority over the administrative orders of the chief justice of Alabama or the legal injunctions of the Alabama Supreme Court prohibiting probate judges from issuing same-sex marriage licenses. The Judicial Inquiry Commission has chosen to listen to people like Ambrosia Starling, a professed transvestite and other gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals, as well as organizations that support their agenda.”
Judge Moore will be suspended with pay for the foreseeable future and in his stead the senior judge on the court will take over until Judge Moore’s case can be heard by the Alabama Court of the Judiciary.
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