Tag: Roy Moore

Posted on

Hillary Clinton To Alabama’s Anti-Gay Roy Moore: “Marriage Equality Is The Law Of The Land”

From Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton via press release:

“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.”

That’s my next president.

Posted on

State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore Attempts To Halt Marriage Equality In Alabama

Virulently anti-gay Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore issued an order today saying that, although the U.S. Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage was a constitutional right last June, probate judges in Alabama are to stop issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples.

Moore asserts that his state Supreme Court’s ruling from March of 2015 is still in effect upholding the state’s ban on marriage equality.

(Wrong.)

From AL.com:

Chief Justice Roy Moore issued an order today saying that a ruling issued last March by the Alabama Supreme Court remains in effect and that probate judges “have a ministerial duty not to issue any marriage license contrary” to Alabama’s law and constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

In a four-page administrative order, Moore said the conflict between the state court ruling and the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June has caused “confusion and uncertainty” among probate judges.

Moore said he issued the order today in his role as administrative head of the state court system. He quoted a state law that says the chief justice is empowered to “take affirmative and appropriate action to correct or alleviate any condition or situation adversely affecting the administration of justice within the state.”

Moore’s order drew forceful criticism.

Scott McCoy, senior staff attorney for the Southern Poverty Law Center, issued a statement calling Moore’s order a “dead letter.”

“In no way does his administrative order supersede Judge Granade’s federal injunction prohibiting probate judges from enforcing discriminatory Alabama marriage laws.

“If probate judges violate the injunction, they can be held in contempt. This is Moore yet again confusing his role as chief justice with his personal anti-LGBT agenda.”

Americans United for Separation of Church and State called Moore’s order a “pathetic gesture that is doomed to fail.”

“I have a news flash for Roy Moore: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld marriage equality in June and the decision extends nationwide,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “All Alabama probate judges remain bound by a federal court order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.”

Posted on

Alabama: Judge Roy Moore Hopes He Doesn’t Die Fighting Marriage Equality

Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore spoke yesterday at a hate rally meant to whip up those opposed to equal rights for the LGBT community.

During his speech, Moore showed a flair for the melodramatic:

“William Barret Travis from Conecuh County, Alabama, came to draw a line in the sand at the Alamo. He took a stand in the face of an enemy that was far more numerous, but he knew that he had to make a statement for the people of Texas and that he would give his life.

“I hope I don’t give my life, but I’m going to tell you this is a very serious matter. There’s today another threat not only in Texas and Alabama, but across our country where state and federal court judges have overruled constitutional amendments passed by the people of those states, and people have just sat by and watched it out of fear of the federal government.

“But nothing in the Constitution of the United States, nothing in the laws or precedence of the federal courts give federal courts any authority over domestic policy of family and marriage in the state of Texas, in the state of Alabama, or anywhere else.”

What Moore gets wrong here is that the amendments to keep loving gay and lesbian couples from marrying are unconstitutional.

The constitution very clearly guarantees all Americans the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Clearly, marrying the person you love is a part of life’s “pursuit of happiness.”

When you couple that with the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection clause it’s clear the state’s that passed marriage equality bans years ago did so out of fear and animus, not “constitutionality.”

I’m all for Roy Moore’s right to be dramatic. Let him get onstage somewhere if that’s his thing. But working against the rights of others is a second rate act that is getting less and less approval on the national stage.

Posted on

Alabama: Judge Roy Moore’s Son Busted Third Time On Drug Charges

The son of Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore – bastion of high morals – was arrested and charged with drug possession near the scene of an attempted break-in, AL.com reports.

According to court documents, officers responded to the 1200 block of Allen Street in Troy to a report of an attempted home break-in. They found five men, including Moore, outside near a pickup truck that smelled strongly of marijuana.

After the men said there were no drugs in the vehicle, officers searched the truck and found a bag of marijuana in the glove compartment, along with Moore’s passport. Several Xanax pills also were found in the bag.

Moore was arrested and taken to the city jail. He was released on bond totaling $8,500.

Moore apparently posted on his Facebook page that the arrest was bogus and he is not a drug user.

This is his third arrest on drug charges.

Moore was charged with possession of marijuana in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and possession of a controlled substance, a Class C felony.

A C class felony in Alabama is punishable by no less than one year and one day and no more than 10 years.

We’ll see if that happens…

(h/t JMG)

Posted on

HRC Requests Phone And Email Records Of Alabama Judge Roy Moore

The Human Rights Campaign has filed an Alabama Open Records request for the email and phone records of Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore in order to ascertain whether or not he used his official position to coordinate a plan with two anti-LGBT groups to stop same-sex marriage in the state.

Last week, the two anti-LGBT activist groups, API and ALCAP, filed an emergency petition to the Alabama Supreme Court, hoping to stop marriage equality across the state. On Friday, the Alabama Supreme Court voted 6-2 to take up the petition. Justice Moore did not vote. Responses to the petition were due at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

“We want to know whether Justice Moore inappropriately used the power of his office to direct legal strategy in a case before his own court,” said HRC Alabama State Director R. Ashley Jackson. “Judge Moore is no stranger to questionable legal ethics and Alabamians have the right to know whether their chief justice has acted inappropriately once again. We ask Justice Moore to come clean and voluntarily hand over these files.”

According to Alabama Open Records Law § 36-12-40 et seq., HRC Alabama has requested to publicly inspect Moore’s email communications containing the following terms: gay; lesbian; homosexual; marriage; or Granade. HRC Alabama has also requested the phone records from January 23, 2015 to present. The listed time frame begins from the day U.S. District Judge Ginny Granade struck down Alabama’s discriminatory ban on marriage.

Posted on

Alabama Judge Roy Moore Says He Would Defy SCOTUS On Marriage Equality

During an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore says he would defy SCOTUS should the high court rule in favor of marriage equality.

Roy Moore, the conservative chief justice of Alabama’s Supreme Court, said Sunday that if the U.S. Supreme Court decides that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, he would defy the ruling because it would alter God’s “organic law.”

Under Justice Moore’s urging, many Alabama counties defied both a federal judge’s ruling throwing out the state’s gay marriage ban and the U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal to delay the beginning of same-sex marriages last Monday.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear April arguments on whether state gay marriage bans violate the Constitution’s guarantee of equal treatment under the law. A ruling is expected in June.

“This power over marriage, which came from God under our organic law, is not to be redefined by the United States Supreme Court or any federal court,” Justice Moore told “Fox News Sunday.” U.S. Supreme Court rulings are considered the last word on American law.

Watch Moore’s appearance on Fox News Sunday below:

Posted on

Editorial Cartoon Of The Day: Roy Moore Of Alabama

After the Mississippi KKK endorsed Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore’s stance on same-sex marriage, AL.com’s JD Crowe came up with this editorial cartoon.

JD Crowe is the statewide cartoonist for the Alabama Media Group. Crowe has been following Moore’s exploits in Alabama and the media for a long time.

You can find more of his “Moore” here.

(h/t JMG)

Posted on

CNN’s Chris Cuomo Versus Alabama Justice Roy Moore On Same-Sex Marriage

CNN’s Chris Cuomo interviewed a cantankerous Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore this morning regarding his current stance blocking same-sex marriage in Alabama.

The segment, 25 minutes long, is worth the watch. It’s not often you see a reporter actually ask substantive follow-up questions this in depth. Cuomo does not give Moore a pass here.

I should note: Chris Cuomo is a licensed attorney. He is not simply a reporter having an “opinion” on law here.

Posted on

Alabama’s Judge Roy Moore Claims He Has Gay Friends

With “friends” like this, who needs enemies?

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore appearing on Bloomberg Politics:

“I’ve had many friends who are homosexual. I’ve treated people just like other people. This is not about how I treat people or how I go to a wedding or a marriage or anything. It’s about the constitution of Alabama and the constitution of the United States and specifically the sanctity of marriage amendment. I would not go to a same-sex wedding.”

Just saying.

Posted on

Ku Klux Klan Supports Judge Roy Moore’s Stand Against Marriage Equality

From the website of the United Dixie White Knights:

The Mississippi Klan salutes Alabama’s chief justice Roy Moore, for refusing to bow to the yoke of Federal tyranny. The Feds have no authority over individual States marriage laws. The fudgepackers from Hollywood and all major news networks are in shock that the good people from the heart of Dixie are resisting their Imperialist, Communist Homosexual agenda!

Alabama has a Constitutional amendment, that clearly says marriage is defined as being between a man and a woman. But much as they have since the 2nd war for independence was lost in 1865, the Federal Government by way of it’s foreign masters seems set to push this abomination, on the God fearing people of Alabama. Will they send Jack Booted thugs to enforce it? Remains to be seen, but a simple study of history will show they once burned, destroyed and looted the state of Alabama. Georgia was burned almost to the ground, and in our state, Meridian Mississippi was destroyed by blue bellied sledgehammers in one day.

We call upon all Klansman and White Southern Nationalist to help in the massive protest’s coming, Not by wearing your colors, but by joining in with the Christian community’s protests that are surly coming against tyranical Federal judges. We have made the decision that we don’t want to distract attention away from the issue, as anytime the Klan rides, we are made the issue by the zionist controlled media. Members are encouraged to lend a hand, make signs, recruit etc., but leave any insignia, colors, shirts etc at the house. We want to infiltrate these protests and make sure they are kept running in military fashion and not bullied by the outside agitators.

Let today be the day, that the outside forces that have ruled this nation since the end of the War of Northern Aggression be given notice, “The God fearing White man will no longer stand for your immorality, your Illegal unjust judges and laws. Your attempts to turn us into a third world cesspool must be defeated. Unlike the 1950’s and 60’s we see you clearly for the enemy you are. Until we drive the spear of God and truth through your lying cold black hearts, the Klan will leave the light on for you.

Judge Moore must be thrilled! An endorsement to be proud of!

It’s getting more and more difficult to determine the difference between satire and real life.

(h/t JMG)