A commentary by
By Chuck Baldwin
November 15, 2003
(Used by Chuck Baldwin's permission on CR's Range)
This is a 2 part series of comments by Chuck Baldwin dealing with the dismissal of Judge Roy Moore, Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Part 2 titled, "Bill Pryor's Shocking Comments During Roy Moore's 'Trial,'" follows "The American Inquisition Has Begun."
I was in attendance at Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore's trial in Montgomery this past Wednesday and Thursday. "Trial" is not really the proper word, however. A better word is "inquisition."
There was never a doubt that the "judges" had made up their minds to remove Chief Justice Moore from the bench before the proceedings ever began. They sat like wooden Indians throughout the trial, taking few notes and, with only one exception, making no comments, and asking no questions.
Furthermore, Moore's attorneys had some 20 pieces of evidentiary material that they could have presented. This was denied. There were also several credible witnesses, including former Alabama Governor Fob James, that could have been called to testify on Moore's behalf. This was also denied.
The trial took upon itself a distinctive tone of inquisition when Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor questioned Chief Justice Moore. Here is an exchange between Pryor and Moore taken from the official transcript of the trial:
Pryor: Mr. Chief Justice? And your understanding is that the Federal court ordered that you could not acknowledge God; isn't that right?
Moore: Yes.
Pryor: And if you resume your duties as Chief Justice after this proceeding, you will continue to acknowledge God as you have testified that you would today---
Moore: That's right. Pryor: ---no matter what any other official says?
Moore: Absolutely. (Chief Justice Moore then elaborated.)
Pryor: The only point I am trying to clarify, Mr. Chief Justice, is not why, but only that, in fact, if you do resume your duties as Chief Justice, you will continue to do that [acknowledge God] without regard to what any other official says; isn't that right?
Moore: (He responds by listing numerous examples of the public acknowledgement of God, and concluded answering the question.) I think you must.
Does any reader of this exchange not see what Bill Pryor was demanding? He was demanding that Chief Justice Roy Moore not acknowledge God! Pryor did not even refer to the Ten Commandments. He repeatedly asked Moore if he would continue to acknowledge God. To acknowledge God was deemed an impermissible activity and for this Roy Moore was removed as Alabama Chief Justice.
Watching Bill Pryor examine Roy Moore in such a fashion reminded me of the movie "Luther." It was shockingly similar to the moment when the great reformer stood in front of the Roman council and heard the inquisitor shout, "Will you recant? Will you recant? Will you recant?"
It is more than interesting that Bill Pryor asked Chief Justice Moore three times whether he would continue to acknowledge God, because Satan asked the Lord Jesus three times to fall down and worship him, and Simon Peter denied Christ three times. There does seem to be a pattern!
The point that all Americans must understand is that Chief Justice Roy Moore was removed from the bench, not for committing any crime, not for participating in unethical conduct, and not even for posting the Ten Commandments in the Alabama Judicial Building. He was removed from office for acknowledging God!
Americans must understand that people such as judge Myron Thompson and Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor actually believe that the public acknowledgement of God is illegal activity. Even more dangerous, they believe that a federal judge's order, not the U.S. Constitution, is the supreme law of the land. Pryor said as much during the trial.
There is yet another similarity of Roy Moore's trial to a Dark Ages-style inquisition. Not only was he commanded to recant his public acknowledgment of God, the trial itself was conducted out of public view. No television cameras or recording devices were allowed. Obviously, the inquisitors did not want the American people to see and hear for themselves what took place inside the Alabama Judicial Building on that day.
However, reminiscent of Dark Ages-style punishment, while the trial took place in obscurity, TV cameras were allowed in the courtroom the next day when the verdict to remove Moore from the bench was announced, so all America could witness the "hanging."
The removal of Chief Justice Roy Moore as Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice is a travesty of justice, a reproach upon our national honor, and an insult to the voters of Alabama! It is also painfully obvious that since the American inquisition has begun, it is now time for an American reformation!
The American reformation should begin with the voters of Alabama electing Roy Moore to the highest office of that state and by the American people electing men and women to Congress who will immediately put a stop to these black-robed inquisitors!
Let the reformation begin!
© Chuck Baldwin
Part 2 of Chuck Baldwin's commentary on the dismissal of Judge Roy Moore:
Bill Pryor's Shocking Comments During Roy Moore's "Trial"
By Chuck Baldwin
November 18, 2003Following up on my last column, it is extremely important that every American citizen read the exchange between Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor and Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore during Moore's trial. Since The Court of the Judiciary did not allow television cameras or recording devices in the courtroom, it is up to people like me to get the word out to the American people as to what Pryor said. The examination of Chief Justice Moore by Bill Pryor is shocking, to say the least. Here is a verbatim exchange between the two men taken from the official court transcript:
Pryor: Mr. Chief Justice? And your understanding is that the Federal court ordered that you could not acknowledge God; isn't that right?
Moore: Yes.
Pryor: And if you resume your duties as Chief Justice after this proceeding, you will continue to acknowledge God as you have testified that you would today ---
Moore: That's right.
Pryor: ---no matter what any other official says?
Moore: Absolutely. Without --- let me clarify that. Without an acknowledgment of God, I cannot do my duties. I must acknowledge God. It says so in the Constitution of Alabama. It says so in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. It says so in everything I have read. So ---
Pryor: The only point I am trying to clarify, Mr. Chief Justice, is not why, but only that, in fact, if you do resume your duties as Chief Justice, you will continue to do that without regard to what any other official says; isn't that right?
Moore: Well, I'll do the same thing this Court did with starting of prayer; that's an acknowledgement of God. Now, we did the same say thing that justices do when they place their hand on the Bible and say, "So help me God." It's an acknowledgement of God. The Alabama Supreme Court opens with, "God save the State and this Honorable Court." It's an acknowledgement of God. In my opinions, which I have written many opinions, acknowledging God is the source --- a moral source of our law. I think you must.
Does everyone understand what Bill Pryor was saying? He was saying that in order for Chief Justice Moore to resume his duties, he must not acknowledge God. The posting of the Ten Commandments did not even come up. Roy Moore's "crime" was acknowledging God. For this, he was removed from the bench.
To require that a public official not acknowledge God not only violates the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but also Article Six of the Constitution that says, "…no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." To require Chief Justice Moore to not acknowledge God certainly violates this constitutional obligation!
Therefore, federal judge Myron Thompson and Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor have plainly and deliberately violated Roy Moore's constitutional rights under the First Amendment and Article Six of the U.S. Constitution. For doing so, they should be immediately removed from office, and Bill Pryor should be denied appointment to the federal judiciary!
I understand that Ten Commandments rallies will be held at state capitols around the country this Saturday, November 22, and that petitions to Congress to bring the federal judiciary into account will be circulated. I have been invited to speak at the rally in Tallahassee, Florida. I invite you to meet me there! Furthermore, I urge my readers to attend rallies in their respective states.
Bill Pryor, Myron Thompson and the federal judiciary are out-of- control! They must be reigned in now! Congress has the authority to limit and regulate the jurisdiction of the federal courts. It must do so immediately. However, moving Congress to action is our job --- yours and mine. We can make a difference, but we must act now!
© Chuck Baldwin
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