Even though a federal court decided same-sex marriage was legal in Alabama past year, Justice Moore ordered probate judges throughout the state to refuse marriage licenses to gay couples.
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This could end up being the second time Moore is removed as chief justice of Alabama’s Supreme Court because of orders seemingly involving his religious beliefs. But members of the JIC apparently think they know more that the courts, and chose to go after the Chief Justice for what amounts to a politically-motivated complaint.
Moore has previously said that same-sex marriage would “destroy” the country.
Moore is represented by Liberty Counsel, the same group that a year ago handled the case of Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk jailed after refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Chief Justice Roy Moore of Alabama has been suspended from his position and will face a hearing for telling probate judges to follow the state’s same-sex marriage ban. The only logical thing for the Alabama special judicial court to do is to remove him from office like last time.
That’s fine with Starling, who helped lead an anti-Moore rally on the steps of the Alabama Supreme Court building in January. Moore has the option to negotiate a settlement, but will be tried before the court if a deal is not made. “We intend to fight this agenda vigorously and expect to prevail”, said Chief Justice Moore.
Alabama’s Supreme Court Chief Justice was suspended Friday as he faces possible removal from the bench for ordering state probate judges not to grant marriage licenses to gay couples, despite contrary rulings by a federal court and the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The JIC has chosen to listen to people like Ambrosia Starling, a professed transvestite, and other gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals, as well as organizations which support their agenda”.
So Moore was telling state courts to ignore a valid order from the federal court – nearly precisely the same thing he did in 2003. The Court of the Judiciary removed Moore after a trial in November, a little over two months later.
The US Supreme Court ruled in June 2015 that gay couples had the right to marry under the US constitution.
Staver also said they meant to ask questions about leaks of the JIC’s decision to the media.
An attorney for Moore, Mat Staver, said Moore issued the order because probate judges were asking questions about how to proceed.
“Moore has disgraced his office for far too long”, center President Richard Cohen said.
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“He is such an egomaniac and such a religious zealot that he thinks he can ignore court orders with impunity”, he said. “For the sake of our state, he should be kicked out of office”. He refused to remove them. Voters narrowly returned him to the position again in 2012. His exact legal strategy isn’t yet clear, but Moore’s wife, Kayla Moore, used her Facebook page to post the names and telephone numbers of commission members who levied charges against Moore.
