By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Tuesday, January 12, protesters demanded that Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore (R) be removed from office (again), this time for his vocal opposition to granting State marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Chief Justice Moore’s detractors held a raucous rally at noon at the top of the steps of Heflin-Tolbert Judicial Building in Montgomery. Over 75 protesters spoke at the rally organized by Equality Wiregrass in favor of removing Alabama’s Chief Justice.
James Robinson said, “Let’s get Roy Moore out of this public office.”
Across the street in front of the historic Dexter Avenue Methodist Church, an estimated crowd of forty of Roy Moore’s supporters held a prayer service.
Alabama pastor and Sanctity of Marriage Alabama spokesperson, Tom Ford told the crowd to pray for the state, for the nation, and for God to open the hearts of the persons across the street.
State Auditor Jim Zeigler (R) attended the prayer rally in support of Chief Justice Moore. Zeigler told the Alabama Political Reporter that there are no grounds for Chief Justice Moore to be impeached and that the protesters seeking to remove Moore are “wrong.” Zeigler said that Moore committed no crime by giving an opinion. There are no grounds to impeach Judge Moore.
Tom Ford said in a statement on Facebook, “The great thing about America is that our government and Constitution (when properly ordered and upheld) are in sync with God’s moral law.”
On Wednesday, January 6, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore (R) issued a ruling to Alabama’s Probate Judges ordering them not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
The twice popularly elected Chief Justice wrote that, “The administration of justice in the State of Alabama has been adversely affected by the apparent conflict between the decision of the Alabama Supreme Court in API and the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Obergefell (v. Hodges).”
Obergefell v. Hodges is the landmark 2015 US Supreme Court ruling that turned millennia of precedent on its head by demanding that states issue state marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Chief Justice Moore, as the Administrative Head of the Unified Judicial System of Alabama, ordered that, “Until further decision by the Alabama Supreme Court, the existing orders of the Alabama Supreme Court 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.” Chief Justice Moore said that the full court is still deliberating on how July’s Obergefell v. Hodges ruling affected the state of Alabama and until that time the Probate Judges are ordered not to issue the controversial same-sex marriage licenses.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State wrote on Facebook, “Roy Moore’s latest antics are just further evidence that he’s willing to sacrifice the rights of Alabama’s citizens to stroke his own ego and further his political ambitions.”
First Congressional District candidate Dean Young and Bataan Death March Veteran Glenn Frazier held a press conference to express their support for Chief Justice Roy Moore.
The executive director of the ACLU of Alabama, Susan Watson said, “The law is clear and well-settled in Alabama as it is across the country. Bans on marriage for same-sex couples are unconstitutional. Moore’s directive doesn’t hold water because there’s a valid federal court injunction issued July 1, 2015 that we expect probate judges across the state to comply with, overriding anything issued by the Alabama Supreme Court. We hope that this page in our history of singling out gay and lesbian couples and families for discrimination and humiliation will soon be behind us.”
Phillip L. Jauregui with the Judicial Action Group wrote, “We need many more federal and state officers like Chief Justice Moore who understand that the job of the federal judiciary is not to legislate from the bench, but rather to simply decide disputes between parties consistent with the text of the Constitution. Judicial opinions like Obergefell v. Hodges that purport to set policy for all of America are simply not supported by the Constitutional grant of powers given to the Judiciary. Yet too many of our so-called “leaders” seem too afraid or too ignorant to do anything other than submit to a lawless, corrupt U.S. Supreme Court. Thank you Chief Justice Moore doing your job, and for being a man of courage! Please keep Chief Justice Moore, his family, and his staff in your prayers!”
