Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore laying groundwork for defying U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 marriage equality ruling
The justice, already facing an 澳彩开奖 ethics complaint, claims in an unrelated opinion issued today that he is not bound by decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore is apparently laying the groundwork for defying the U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 decision in the same-sex marriage case.
In an opinion in a commercial case released just hours after the marriage decision, Justice Moore made the unprecedented claim that he was not bound by decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court that conflict with his view of the U.S. Constitution. 聽Indeed, he stated that it would violate his 鈥渙ath of office鈥� and 鈥渆very sound principle of constitutional law鈥� for him to follow U.S. Supreme Court rulings with which he disagrees. His alter ego 鈥� the Foundation for Moral Law, the private organization聽 run by his wife and for which he serves as president emeritus 鈥� announced that 鈥渢he battle for traditional marriage will continue despite the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court.鈥� According to the Foundation,聽 the U.S. Supreme Court has 鈥渘o legal authority to redefine marriage.鈥�
Justice Moore is fundamentally wrong. The U.S. Constitution is the 鈥渟upreme law of the land,鈥� and U.S. Supreme Court decisions interpreting the Constitution are binding on all state and federal courts. 聽Justice Moore鈥檚 claim that he is not bound by decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court with which he disagrees is an invitation to anarchy. 聽His statements reflect, once again, that he is not fit for the office that he holds.
The 澳彩开奖 with the Judicial Inquiry Commission of Alabama in January after he urged the governor and Alabama judges to defy federal law and enforce the state鈥檚 ban on same-sex marriage following a federal judge鈥檚 ruling overturning the ban. That complaint is still pending.
