By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
The Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party Bill Armistead, responded by written statement to Judge Vance’s (D) press conference announcing that several jurists of both political parties have endorsed him in the race for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court over former Chief Justice Roy Moore (R) from Gallant.
Chairman Armistead said, “When the Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party and former Democrat officeholders endorse a Democrat for office it’s hardly news. I think the endorsement that most Alabamians are interested in is who Judge Vance has endorsed – President Barack Obama. Judge Vance and his wife, Joyce, have endorsed Obama for President by sending him thousands of dollars in campaign donations. And, of course President Obama is a supporter of the Vances, as was demonstrated when he named Joyce Vance as the U.S. Attorney for North Alabama. Those two actions speak volumes about what kind of Chief Justice Bob Vance would be.”
Chairman Armistead said, “Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Mark Kennedy has called on Alabamians to “embrace President Obama” and he led the effort to remove the Democrat who qualified to run for Chief Justice and replace him with the party bosses’ back-room deal candidate, Bob Vance. I am sure Alabamians will soundly reject this Chicago-style power grab, led by Barack Obama’s Alabama allies, Bob Vance and Mark Kennedy.”
Judge Moore’s staunch impassioned defense of the principles of a strict constructionist interpretation of the Constitution, religious liberty, and the acknowledgement of God have earned him both staunch supporters and opponents far beyond the borders of Alabama.
The Etowah County Judge gained prominence when militant atheists demanded that he remove his copy of the Ten Commandments from his court room and he refused. In 2002, the people of Alabama elected Judge Moore to be the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. He was removed from the court by his fellow justices after he refused to move his granite Ten Commandment display from the Alabama Supreme Court building after it was ordered removed by a federal judge.
Former Chief Justice Moore ran unsuccessfully for Governor in 2006 and 2010 losing the Republican primary to incumbent Governor Bob Riley and then to current Governor Robert Bentley. Moore who is the President of the Foundation for Moral Law defeated current Chief Justice Chuck Malone and Mobile County Presiding Judge Charlie Graddick in the 2012 Republican Primary to be the Republican Party nominee for Chief Justice.
Pelham Attorney and perennial candidate Harry Lyon was the Alabama Democratic Party candidate for Chief Justice; but he was removed from the ballot after posting numerous angry Facebook posts attacking homosexuals, gay marriage, the direction of the national Democratic Party, his opponent (Judge Moore), and Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Mark Kennedy.
After his removal from the ballot, the Alabama Democratic Party appointed Jefferson County Circuit Judge Robert “Bob” Vance to take his place on the ticket. Vance is the son of slain federal judge and former Alabama Democratic Party Chairman, Robert Vance Sr. who was killed by a package bomb sent to his Mountain Brook home by Walter Leroy Moody 77 who is still on death row in Alabama for the 1989 crime. Judge Vance is married to U.S. Attorney for North Alabama Joyce Vance.
