Alabama chief justice: Don't issue gay marriage licenses

http://news.yahoo.com ^ | February 4, 2015 | Kim Chandler

[NKP_Vet]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama's chief justice, who famously refused to remove a Ten Commandments monument from a state judicial building, has urged probate judges to refuse marriage licenses to gay couples even though a federal judge ruled the state's same-sex marriage ban.

Roy Moore sent a letter to Alabama probate judges on Tuesday saying they are not bound by the ruling because they were not defendants in the lawsuit and have not been directly ordered to issue the licenses. He said the federal court did not have the authority to allow same-sex marriages.

No federal judge, or court, should redefine marriage," Moore said in an interview Wednesday.

Moore said state courts, including probate courts, have the authority to interpret the U.S. Constitution independently, just like lower federal courts do, and the U.S. Supreme Court will resolve disputes over those interpretations.

The fiery Republican judge is no stranger to controversial remarks about homosexuality and the decisions of federal judges. Moore was removed as Alabama chief justice in 2003 after he refused to obey what he called an "unlawful" federal court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of the state judicial building. Moore in 2002 called homosexuality "an inherent evil" in ruling against a lesbian mother in a child custody case.

[onedoug]

From Huff Post:

"This is a pathetic, last-ditch attempt at judicial fiat by an Alabama Supreme Court justice_a man who should respect the rule of law rather than advance his personal beliefs," said Sarah Warbelow, legal director of the Human Rights Campaign.

Very convenient. However, virtually all such decisions supporting this monstrosity have also been by "judicial fiat". IIRC, homosexual's have never won on this issue at the ballot box.

Moore was reelected to his post after his famous "Ten Commandments" endeavors.

Seems to me "We The People" have something to say about this too.

GOD BLESS ROY MOORE.

[NKP_Vet]

Well the US Supreme Court has told the people of the 38th state now that their vote means absolutely nothing. At least Judge Roy Moore never backed down from the bastards. We might as well be living in the old Soviet Union. In otherwords do what you are told, keep your mouth shut or you’re going to jail.