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CNN Live Saturday
Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore Suspended From Duty
Aired August 23, 2003 - 12:04 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.
SANJAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Not far from the Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama, where Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached, a battle involving religion goes on. Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore is now suspended from the job for refusing to remove a monument inscribed with the "Ten Commandments" from the state's judicial building.
CNN's David Mattingly has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A tumultuous week at the Alabama Supreme Court ends with a bang.
TOM PARKER, CHIEF JUSTICE SPOKESMAN: The staff of the judicial inquiry commission delivered a complaint that they had issued against Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore.
MATTINGLY: State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore suspended from duty as an Alabama judicial court decides if his unabashed defiance of a federal court order violated judicial ethics. Moore refused to remove the monument to the "Ten Commandments" he placed on public display two years ago and is now petitioning the Supreme Court to hear his arguments.
BILL PRYOR, ALABAMA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Our oath of office says that we're to uphold the "Constitution of Alabama" and the "Constitution of United States." That's the law, not what a judge says. If the rule of law was what a judge says, we'd still have slavery; indeed, the "Declaration of Independence" would be a meaningless document. We have got to realize that what judges say when they violate the law is not law -- it's lawless, and in this case, the law is clear.
MATTINGLY: The high, court two days ago, refused to delay the federal court order and it is not known if the Supreme Court will be interested in taking his case. But, in his home state, the case against Moore is substantial. He is cited on six counts of ethics violations, potentially damaging to his office and his career.
RICHARD COHEN, SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: Justice Moore gave them no choice. The canons of ethics say you have to respect and comply with the law. Justice Moore said that he was going to defy it, he forced their hand. Now, I hope he's removed from office.
MATTINGLY: Shaken by the news, Moore's supporters remain on the steps of the judicial building considering it a victory that now two days have passed since the federal deadline and the monument has not moved. That is something parties in this case expect will change in the coming days.
David Mattingly, CNN, Montgomery, Alabama.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MIGUEL: You can follow the legal drama over government and religion, now unfolding in Alabama, you can log on anytime to CNN.com/law, the AOL keyword is "CNN."
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 August 23, 2003 - 12:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SANJAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Not far from the Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama, where Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached, a battle involving religion goes on. Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore is now suspended from the job for refusing to remove a monument inscribed with the "Ten Commandments" from the state's judicial building.
CNN's David Mattingly has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A tumultuous week at the Alabama Supreme Court ends with a bang.
TOM PARKER, CHIEF JUSTICE SPOKESMAN: The staff of the judicial inquiry commission delivered a complaint that they had issued against Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore.
MATTINGLY: State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore suspended from duty as an Alabama judicial court decides if his unabashed defiance of a federal court order violated judicial ethics. Moore refused to remove the monument to the "Ten Commandments" he placed on public display two years ago and is now petitioning the Supreme Court to hear his arguments.
BILL PRYOR, ALABAMA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Our oath of office says that we're to uphold the "Constitution of Alabama" and the "Constitution of United States." That's the law, not what a judge says. If the rule of law was what a judge says, we'd still have slavery; indeed, the "Declaration of Independence" would be a meaningless document. We have got to realize that what judges say when they violate the law is not law -- it's lawless, and in this case, the law is clear.
MATTINGLY: The high, court two days ago, refused to delay the federal court order and it is not known if the Supreme Court will be interested in taking his case. But, in his home state, the case against Moore is substantial. He is cited on six counts of ethics violations, potentially damaging to his office and his career.
RICHARD COHEN, SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: Justice Moore gave them no choice. The canons of ethics say you have to respect and comply with the law. Justice Moore said that he was going to defy it, he forced their hand. Now, I hope he's removed from office.
MATTINGLY: Shaken by the news, Moore's supporters remain on the steps of the judicial building considering it a victory that now two days have passed since the federal deadline and the monument has not moved. That is something parties in this case expect will change in the coming days.
David Mattingly, CNN, Montgomery, Alabama.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MIGUEL: You can follow the legal drama over government and religion, now unfolding in Alabama, you can log on anytime to CNN.com/law, the AOL keyword is "CNN."
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
