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CNN Live Today
Interview With Roy Moore
Aired November 04, 2003 - 10:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now that he has run out of legal options Alabama's Chief Justice Roy Moore is turning to the court of public opinion. Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal over the removal of his Ten Commandments monument from Alabama's judicial building.
He has been suspended for ignoring a federal court order and could be removed from office. He says, though, he has just started to fight.
Justice Moore is with us this morning. He is in Platville (ph), Alabama. Justice Moore, good morning, thanks for being with us.
JUDGE ROY MOORE, ALABAMA CHIEF JUSTICE: Good morning, nice to be with you.
KAGAN: Could you please share with us the reaction to the Supreme Court saying they would not hear either one of your appeals?
MOORE: Of course we were very disappointed because this is one of the most critical issues facing our country in the 21st century: whether a state can acknowledge God. And that's exactly what this case was about. And that's exactly what we put before the courts.
So I'm very disappointed but it's really more disappointing day for the people of Alabama because a federal district judge has said that we cannot acknowledge God when indeed our constitution says that the justice system of the state is established invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God.
KAGAN: Well, Justice Moore, it is not just a federal judge. You have the eight associate supreme court members of Alabama. You also have the high court, the Supreme Court saying it's not worth hearing this case. Is that enough to change your mind about your fight?
MOORE: Absolutely not. The constitution of Alabama is our rule of law. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is the rule of law.
KAGAN: So are you saying the Supreme Court got it wrong by not taking your case?
MOORE: The Supreme Court got it wrong by not taking the case. They didn't rule on the case.
KAGAN: Right. MOORE: They didn't hear the issue. Yes, they got it wrong because we have a clear Tenth Amendment violation in this case. A federal judge has no right to come in the state of Alabama and say we cannot acknowledge God. It's indeed an intrusion into our state sovereignty.
KAGAN: So what do you do now?
MOORE: Now I will proceed with a trial that is coming up on November 12 for my alleged disobedience to the federal court order. But I'll also continue speaking across the country about this issue and about why the judges are not ruling by law. They are ruling by their own predelictions and feelings. And it's completely adverse to the Constitution. They're actually destroying the very law they are sworn to support.
KAGAN: Let's talk about this hearing, Justice Moore, that you do face. The trial before, it's a state ethics board. Do you think you can get a fair hearing?
MOORE: Well, I'll ask you. You're a televised media. They have barred televised media from this trial. They said no that television, no recording devices will be allowed into the trial. And they are holding it in a very limited capacity space so that the people can't see.
KAGAN: What was your...
MOORE: I think it's not going to be a fair trial.
KAGAN: What was your policy? Did you allow television cameras in?
MOORE: When I was a circuit judge we had a different situation when you got a criminal defendant on trial and you've got a jury present. There's no jury here. There's no criminal defendant. And the defendant himself asked that televised media be allowed. You as a media should know your rights under the First Amendment.
(CROSSTALK)
KAGAN: ... fight to get in there. But to look at the difference, from what I hear, the state of Alabama says this is a regular supreme court building, this is where it's usually held. Two hundred and ten seats, enough room to get enough people in there to see what is happening.
You, I understand, are suggesting to hold this in the civic center of Montgomery, Alabama, talking about bringing 7,000 people in. A lot of people believe that might be a public spectacle.
MOORE: It should be a public spectacle when the majority of the people of the state of Alabama elected me as chief justice. Indeed when the president of the United States and his impeachment trial and trial before the Senate had a televised hearing, why should the chief justice of Alabama not be able to tell the people of this state why he did not follow an illicit, illegal federal court order?
KAGAN: Will you resign before this takes place?
MOORE: Absolutely not. We're going through with this trial. We want the people as best we can to convey to them that what the federal government is doing in the federal district courts is not following the rule of law. They are make their own law.
If they followed the rule law, the First Amendment certainly doesn't prohibit the acknowledgement of God. That's the first thing Congress did when they adopted the wording of First Amendment.
(CROSSTALK)
KAGAN: ... and you talk about the voters of Alabama voting for you as chief justice.
Don't you think that when those people voted you, they had faith in you that you would follow the rule of law and that you would honor court rulings, even if they're ones you don't agree with, as chief justice?
MOORE: They had faith in me that I would follow the rule of law and I have followed the rule of law being the First Amendment and the constitution of Alabama which says as the chief administrative officer of the justice system I must uphold the justice system. And it says our justice system is established invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God.
When a federal district judge, one unelected man, tells the state of Alabama they cannot acknowledge God as a source of their justice system, he violates the rule of law.
KAGAN: "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution" reporting this morning that this case, this fight could end up costing the voters of Alabama $1 million in legal fees to pay for this case. Do you think this is money well spent by the taxpayers of your state?
MOORE: We have funded our own attorneys throughout this cause. We now have a federal district judge that about two weeks ago spoke in Atlanta at the ACLU conference and still has issues spending about fees from the ACLU before his court. That is an ethical violation. That judge should be instructed to violate the -- to obey the code of ethics. Not myself.
I did obey the rule of law and upheld my oath to the constitutions of Alabama and the United States.
KAGAN: I imagine it will be the state ethic board that will make the final call.
One final question. Will you run for office? A lot of people talking about Senate, governor, any other future plans?
MOORE: I'm running to hold the job I've got. And if I get kicked out of this job or dismissed from this job then I'll have to find another job no matter what it will be and I have to make the decision at this time.
I have not decided to run for anything, I'm trying to retain the job of chief justice of Alabama for which I was elected.
KAGAN: Basically they are going to have to kick you out, you're not going anywhere on your own.
MOORE: That's right.
KAGAN: Got it. Alabama's Chief Justice Roy Moore. Thank you for your time, sir. Appreciate it.
MOORE: Thank you, ma'am. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 4, 2003 - 10:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now that he has run out of legal options Alabama's Chief Justice Roy Moore is turning to the court of public opinion. Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal over the removal of his Ten Commandments monument from Alabama's judicial building.
He has been suspended for ignoring a federal court order and could be removed from office. He says, though, he has just started to fight.
Justice Moore is with us this morning. He is in Platville (ph), Alabama. Justice Moore, good morning, thanks for being with us.
JUDGE ROY MOORE, ALABAMA CHIEF JUSTICE: Good morning, nice to be with you.
KAGAN: Could you please share with us the reaction to the Supreme Court saying they would not hear either one of your appeals?
MOORE: Of course we were very disappointed because this is one of the most critical issues facing our country in the 21st century: whether a state can acknowledge God. And that's exactly what this case was about. And that's exactly what we put before the courts.
So I'm very disappointed but it's really more disappointing day for the people of Alabama because a federal district judge has said that we cannot acknowledge God when indeed our constitution says that the justice system of the state is established invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God.
KAGAN: Well, Justice Moore, it is not just a federal judge. You have the eight associate supreme court members of Alabama. You also have the high court, the Supreme Court saying it's not worth hearing this case. Is that enough to change your mind about your fight?
MOORE: Absolutely not. The constitution of Alabama is our rule of law. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is the rule of law.
KAGAN: So are you saying the Supreme Court got it wrong by not taking your case?
MOORE: The Supreme Court got it wrong by not taking the case. They didn't rule on the case.
KAGAN: Right. MOORE: They didn't hear the issue. Yes, they got it wrong because we have a clear Tenth Amendment violation in this case. A federal judge has no right to come in the state of Alabama and say we cannot acknowledge God. It's indeed an intrusion into our state sovereignty.
KAGAN: So what do you do now?
MOORE: Now I will proceed with a trial that is coming up on November 12 for my alleged disobedience to the federal court order. But I'll also continue speaking across the country about this issue and about why the judges are not ruling by law. They are ruling by their own predelictions and feelings. And it's completely adverse to the Constitution. They're actually destroying the very law they are sworn to support.
KAGAN: Let's talk about this hearing, Justice Moore, that you do face. The trial before, it's a state ethics board. Do you think you can get a fair hearing?
MOORE: Well, I'll ask you. You're a televised media. They have barred televised media from this trial. They said no that television, no recording devices will be allowed into the trial. And they are holding it in a very limited capacity space so that the people can't see.
KAGAN: What was your...
MOORE: I think it's not going to be a fair trial.
KAGAN: What was your policy? Did you allow television cameras in?
MOORE: When I was a circuit judge we had a different situation when you got a criminal defendant on trial and you've got a jury present. There's no jury here. There's no criminal defendant. And the defendant himself asked that televised media be allowed. You as a media should know your rights under the First Amendment.
(CROSSTALK)
KAGAN: ... fight to get in there. But to look at the difference, from what I hear, the state of Alabama says this is a regular supreme court building, this is where it's usually held. Two hundred and ten seats, enough room to get enough people in there to see what is happening.
You, I understand, are suggesting to hold this in the civic center of Montgomery, Alabama, talking about bringing 7,000 people in. A lot of people believe that might be a public spectacle.
MOORE: It should be a public spectacle when the majority of the people of the state of Alabama elected me as chief justice. Indeed when the president of the United States and his impeachment trial and trial before the Senate had a televised hearing, why should the chief justice of Alabama not be able to tell the people of this state why he did not follow an illicit, illegal federal court order?
KAGAN: Will you resign before this takes place?
MOORE: Absolutely not. We're going through with this trial. We want the people as best we can to convey to them that what the federal government is doing in the federal district courts is not following the rule of law. They are make their own law.
If they followed the rule law, the First Amendment certainly doesn't prohibit the acknowledgement of God. That's the first thing Congress did when they adopted the wording of First Amendment.
(CROSSTALK)
KAGAN: ... and you talk about the voters of Alabama voting for you as chief justice.
Don't you think that when those people voted you, they had faith in you that you would follow the rule of law and that you would honor court rulings, even if they're ones you don't agree with, as chief justice?
MOORE: They had faith in me that I would follow the rule of law and I have followed the rule of law being the First Amendment and the constitution of Alabama which says as the chief administrative officer of the justice system I must uphold the justice system. And it says our justice system is established invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God.
When a federal district judge, one unelected man, tells the state of Alabama they cannot acknowledge God as a source of their justice system, he violates the rule of law.
KAGAN: "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution" reporting this morning that this case, this fight could end up costing the voters of Alabama $1 million in legal fees to pay for this case. Do you think this is money well spent by the taxpayers of your state?
MOORE: We have funded our own attorneys throughout this cause. We now have a federal district judge that about two weeks ago spoke in Atlanta at the ACLU conference and still has issues spending about fees from the ACLU before his court. That is an ethical violation. That judge should be instructed to violate the -- to obey the code of ethics. Not myself.
I did obey the rule of law and upheld my oath to the constitutions of Alabama and the United States.
KAGAN: I imagine it will be the state ethic board that will make the final call.
One final question. Will you run for office? A lot of people talking about Senate, governor, any other future plans?
MOORE: I'm running to hold the job I've got. And if I get kicked out of this job or dismissed from this job then I'll have to find another job no matter what it will be and I have to make the decision at this time.
I have not decided to run for anything, I'm trying to retain the job of chief justice of Alabama for which I was elected.
KAGAN: Basically they are going to have to kick you out, you're not going anywhere on your own.
MOORE: That's right.
KAGAN: Got it. Alabama's Chief Justice Roy Moore. Thank you for your time, sir. Appreciate it.
MOORE: Thank you, ma'am. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
