Tag: Roy Moore

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Donald Trump Angry Over Backing Alabama Loser, Deletes Endorsement Tweets

As predicted, virulently ultra-conservative, anti-LGBT Roy Moore won the U.S. Senate run-off in Alabama last night over incumbent Sen. Luther Strange.

It’s worth noting that Moore is quite open about his utter disdain for LGBTs. He’s publicly stated, “Homosexual conduct should be illegal. It is immoral. It is defined by the law as detestable.”

Strange was appointed to the Senate seat after Jeff Sessions resigned to become U.S. Attorney General.

Donald Trump supported Strange and upon learning the results last night became enraged that he had backed the losing candidate.

From CNN:

Returning from a high-dollar fundraiser in Manhattan on Tuesday evening, an infuriated President Donald Trump watched aboard Air Force One as Fox News called the Alabama Senate primary for Roy Moore against Trump’s favored candidate, Luther Strange.

What ensued was a barrage of angry venting at his political team and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had consolidated establishment GOP support behind Strange. Trump, officials and informal advisers say, felt misled by McConnell and his political team, who encouraged him to endorse and campaign for Strange.

He went to bed “embarrassed and pissed” following the election loss, according to a person familiar with his mindset. Trump, multiple sources said, is furious with McConnell, and feels outdone by his former aide Bannon. It is only the latest in growing list of reasons Trump is furious at McConnell.

Inside the White House, fingers are being pointed at Ward Baker, a McConnell strategist, and Nick Ayers, the vice president’s chief of staff, both of whom were involved in pushing Trump to back Strange, according to sources.

Probably making the loss even worse to swallow was the fact that Moore had the support of former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Trump was so embarrassed by the loss he began deleting tweets posted over the past couple of weeks showing his support of Strange.

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Alabama Senate Contender Roy Moore: “Homosexual Conduct Should Be Illegal”

Roy Moore

Roy Moore, former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and current U.S. Senate candidate, said in a 2005 interview that “homosexual conduct” should be illegal.

While it doesn’t come as a surprise (Moore was ousted from his position on Alabama’s high court for failing to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling which made same-sex marriage the law of the land), this is exchange was Moore’s most direct public response to the 2003 Lawrence v. Texas ruling which struck down anti-sodomy laws.

From CNN:

Moore, a hardline conservative Christian and former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, made the comments in an interview with liberal commentator Bill Press on C-SPAN2’s After Words. Moore appeared on the show to publicize a book he had just written about his expulsion from the court for refusing to take down a monument to the Ten Commandments.

During the interview, Press asked Moore if he believed homosexual conduct should still be illegal after the 2003 landmark Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas that struck down a state law banning sodomy, rendering similar laws across the country unconstitutional.

“What I think is that it was illegal under the law, that the Supreme Court usurped the role of the legislature and ruled something about our moral law that is improper, and that’s what we’re finding the Supreme Court and the federal district courts are doing daily,” Moore responded. “They’ve usurped the moral prerogative, now, if you want–“

Press cut in, saying, “I don’t understand your answer. I think it’s a yes or no. Do you think that homosexual–homosexuality, or homosexual conduct should be illegal today? That’s a yes or no question.”

“Homosexual conduct should be illegal, yes,” Moore answered.

In that same interview, Moore also compared gay sex to bestiality.

Press asked why the government should ban what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own homes, Moore compared gay sex to bestiality.

“Just because it’s done behind closed doors, it can still be prohibited by state law. Do you know that bestiality, the relationship between man and beast is prohibited in every state?” Moore asked.

“Did I ask you about having sex with a cow?” Press responded.

“No you didn’t,” Moore said.

“Or a horse, or a dog?” Press asked.

“It’s the same thing,” Moore said.

“No, it’s not. You mean homosexuality is the same thing as bestiality?” Press asked.

“It is a moral precept upon which this country was founded,” Moore said.

CNN also points out similar comments Moore made in a 2015 YouTube interview with user Lone Star Q. During that interview he was asked if he still thought homosexuality should be illegal.

Moore was direct, saying, “I think homosexuality should be illegal,” Moore said. “Sodomy was declared illegal by the United States Supreme Court in 1987, it said there was no right under the constitution to enlarge the fundamental rights of homosexuals.”

Moore currently leads in the polls in Alabama even though Donald Trump is backing Moore’s opponent, place-holder Sen. Luther Strange.

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News Round-Up: September 13, 2017

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• My buddy Brandon Pereyda, currently one of the stars (and poster boy) for Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity here in Las Vegas, gets in “mid-show workouts” during his already grueling performances. And yes, everything in the pic is real from the mohawk to the body to everything else 🙂

• Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who was removed from office for blocking same-sex marriages in his state, could very well be the next U.S. Senator from the “Yellowhammer” state. And he’s not sure if gays should be executed or not for being who they are.

• Russian politician Vyacheslav Nikonov told Russian TV audiences recently that the United States intel community “missed it when Russian intelligence stole the president of the United States.”

• Is it weird that not only does Donald Trump Jr. face the pictures of his children on his desk AWAY from his view, but he also has a pic of HIMSELF right there in the middle? #hmmm

(via Twitter)

• More big stars are signing on for guest spots on the upcoming Will & Grace reboot beginning September 28 on NBC. Jane Lynch and Andrew Rannells will guest star together joining previously announced appearances by Ben Platt, Harry Connick, Jr., Minnie Driver and Bobby Cannavale.

• I’m certain that Los Angeles’ 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index helped the “city of angels” book the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics & Paralympics.

• Any day is a good day for some fresh Cher. Like this new spot for GAP which pairs the diva with Future on a new take on Sly and the Family Stone’s “Everyday People.”

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Alabama: Former Chief Justice Roy Moore Loses Appeal In Court – Again

Roy Moore

Former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Roy Moore lost yet again in court today.

You’ll recall Moore, who is virulently anti-LGBT, was ousted for instructing state officials to ignore the landmark Obergefell ruling at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 that made marriage equality the law of the land.

He was suspended last September for the remainder of his term as chief justice after he was found guilty of six charges of violation of the canons of judicial ethics.

Today, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld that decision that stripped him of his power as Chief Justice.

This is the second time Moore has been removed as Chief Justice. In 2003, he refused to remove a monument bearing the Ten Commandments.

Some people never learn, you know?

Moore has been feeding rumors that he might attempt a U.S. Senate run next year for the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions to become U.S. Attorney General. That seat is currently held by former Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange.

(source)

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Radio Show: This Week In LGBT News 10/1/16

Happy Sunday, folks!

Here’s this week’s episode of The Randy Report on BlogTalkRadio.

My recap of popular & important stories of pop culture, politics and entertainment of interest to the LGBT community:

• Edie Windsor, LGBTQ hero who helped bring down the Defense of Marriage Act, finds love a second time.

• Anti-gay Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore suspended from the bench for instructing judges to not perform same-sex marriages even after SCOTUS ruled in favor of marriage equality.

• The first presidential debate came and went this week. Who won? I think Randy Rainbow did with his parody of a classic Mary Poppins song that recaps the Donald’s debate performance.

• GLEE star Alex Newell teams up with the CDC to share new music and a new campaign to help stop HIV.

Tune in for these stories and more.

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Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore Suspended For Remainder Of His Term

Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore

Virulently anti-LGBT Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore has will spend the remainder of his term suspended from the bench for instructing probate judges in his state to ignore federal laws regarding same-sex marriage.

The ruling comes via the Alabama Court of the Judiciary (COJ).

From AL.com:

“For these violations, Chief Justice Moore is hereby suspended from office without pay for the remainder of his term. This suspension is effective immediately,” the order stated. The court found him guilty of all six charges of violation of canon of judicial ethics. Moore was tried Wednesday before the COJ on the six charges that claimed he violated canons of judicial ethics regarding that Jan. 6 administrative order to the state’s 68 probate judges.

Prosecutors said Moore’s order sought to have probate judges defy the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that declared gay marriage legal nationwide and halt the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Moore and one of his attorneys said at the trial that the order was just a status report on the state of a petition that had been pending before the Alabama Supreme Court and did not tell the probate judges to defy federal orders.

The nine-member Court of the Judiciary thought otherwise and issued the sanction. The nine member court had several options – acquit Moore, remove him from the bench, suspend him without pay, or issue a statement of censure expressing disapproval. Removal from the bench required a unanimous decision and any of the other sanctions require a minimum 6-3 vote. Moore can appeal the ruling to the Alabama Supreme Court.

The suspension basically ends Moore’s career on the state Supreme Court. He cannot receive any salary, and he cannot weigh in on legal decisions. His current term ends in 2018, and he is unable to run again for Supreme Court office due to age restrictions.

In addition, the COJ ruled he has to pay for the cost of the trial. Here’s the signed suspension document:

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North Carolina Attorney General To Governor On HB2: “Enough Is Enough”

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Moore, currently running to unseat Gov. Pat McCrory, put out this message today asking the governor to lead the charge on repealing the state’s anti-LGBT law, HB2.

Text of the video:

Since Governor McCrory signed House Bill 2 into law just weeks ago, there has been a real and devastating impact on North Carolina’s economy and reputation. Already we have lost thousands of jobs and tens of millions of dollars in economic activity.

And now the governor is pouring gas on the fire that he lit and putting billions in education funding on the line. Instead of doing what’s right for our state, he’s doubling down on what he knows he did wrong. Enough is enough.

For decades, North Carolina has been a beacon in the south with great universities, technology and forward thinking leaders. But now, the governor is putting all that and more at risk with his partisan gamesmanship.

Governor, for the sake of our schools, our children, our economy, and our good name, set the politics aside and undo this discriminatory law now.

Although he was leading in the gubernatorial race before HB2, since signing the legislation into law McCrory has consistently trailed Moore in the polls.

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Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore Suspended, Facing Removal From Office – Again

For the second time in his career, virulently anti-LGBT Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore has had ethics charges filed against him via the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission.

This time the charges relate to orders he issued in the wake of the historic ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on same-sex marriage. Chief Justice Moore instructed the state’s probate judges that they had a “ministerial duty” to continue enforcement of the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

From the New York Times:

As a result of the charges, Chief Justice Moore, 69, has been immediately suspended from the bench and is facing a potential hearing before the state’s Court of the Judiciary, a panel of judges, lawyers and other appointees. Among possible outcomes at such a hearing would be his removal from office.

“We intend to fight this agenda vigorously and expect to prevail,” Chief Justice Moore said in a statement, saying that the Judicial Inquiry Commission, which filed the complaint, had no authority over the charges at issue.

Referring to a transgender activist in Alabama, Chief Justice Moore said the commission had “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.”

It is the second complaint lodged by the state’s Judicial Inquiry Commission against the judge. In 2003, he was ousted by the same body from his position as chief justice after disobeying a federal court order to remove a two-ton monument of the Ten Commandments that he had installed in the rotunda of the state judicial building.

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Alabama: Birmingham News Says “Roy Moore Is Delusional About Roy Moore”

 The AL.com editorial board in Alabama has a scathing op-ed addressing misguided, anti-gay State Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore and his latest attempts to stop same-sex marriage in his state.

Just an excerpt – from the folks who know him best:

It is time Roy Moore realized that he is wrong. He is wrong on this issue, he is wrong in thinking he might ever be governor of Alabama, he is wrong in seeing himself as of presidential timber, he is wrong in thinking that he matters.

Already, there are citizen calls for his impeachment. He will soon go into retirement and be remembered as a bigot, disrespectful of the law and of his fellow human beings. That might be the only memory he has earned in his time in public office. And, hopefully, Alabama’s citizens will be remembered as the ones who showed him the door.

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Hillary Clinton To Judge Roy Moore: “Marriage Equality Is Now The Law Of The Land – Including In Alabama”

Hillary Clinton was quick to issue this statement regarding anti-gay Alabama state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, who instructed probate judges in his state to cease issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

“Marriage equality is now the law of the land — including in Alabama. Today’s unconstitutional order reminds us that, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling that all Americans have the right to marry the person they love, our work is far from over. There are still judges who are determined to stand in the way of people’s rights. There are still politicians who argue the Court got it wrong and states should ignore its ruling.

“We need to ensure that marriage equality is guaranteed and enforced nationwide. And we need to fight discrimination against LGBT Americans wherever it occurs. There are places where you can get married on Sunday and are at risk of being fired from your job or evicted from your home on Monday because you’re gay. That’s not how it should be in the United States of America.

“As President, I’ll fight for the equal rights of all Americans, no matter who they are or who they love.”