Roy Moore Should Be Known As "Hypocrisy Judge" In The Wake of Ruling On VictoryLand Forfeiture

Judge Roy Moore

Perhaps no public figure in modern American history has used Christianity to attain power quite like Judge Roy Moore of Alabama.

Therefore, you might expect that Moore is well versed in the teachings of the New Testament and lives his life accordingly. But based on a recent Alabama Supreme Court order in a forfeiture proceeding involving the VictoryLand casino, you would be wrong.

As chief justice, Moore signed an order that forced Macon County Circuit Judge Thomas Young off the VictoryLand matter. We've already shown the order conflicts with long-standing Alabama precedent--and it even includes a bold-faced lie, which makes you wonder how serious Roy Moore really is about the Ten Commandments and their warning against "bearing false witness."

But that's not all. We now have evidence that suggests Roy Moore should forfeit his nickname, "The Ten Commandments Judge." A more fitting title, it appears, would be "The Hypocrisy Judge."

As one who professes to be a devout Christian, Moore should be familiar with one of Jesus' best- known teachings. It comes from Matthew 7:3--"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"

The meaning is clear: Christians are not to judge others, especially without stopping to scrutinize their own behavior first. Does Roy Moore follow that directive? Not even close.

In its VictoryLand order, the Alabama Supreme Court repeatedly chastises Judge Young for failing to show proper deference to a higher judicial body--and Roy Moore signs his name to the order, front and center as chief justice. This is the same Roy Moore whose previous reign as chief justice ended when he refused to obey a federal-court order that he remove his Ten Commandments monument from the Alabama Judicial Building.

As recently as August 21, 2013, on the 10th anniversary of the monument controversy, Moore still was defiant, claiming that he was right on the matter and federal courts were wrong. In other words, Roy Moore made disrespectful statements about the federal judiciary just as the VictoryLand order was about to be issued. (It's dated August 23.)

What do Moore and his colleague say about Judge Thomas Young, of Macon County? (See the full order at the end of this post.) Here is part of it:

Judge Young has consistently criticized this Court's decisions regarding the litigation involving VictoryLand. He has indicated that he was "shocked and alarmed" at our decision in Tyson v. Jones, that our decision in Cornerstone was "not clear" and "did not assist him," and that the application for a search warrant this Court directed him to sign was insufficient and "improper." Most telling, Judge Young violated this Court's previous directives by failing to act immediately upon the receipt of our February 15, 2013, sealed order "to issue the warrant" and, contrary to our directive that the proceeding and order remain under seal until further order of this Court, wrote a note on the face of the warrant that would disclose the fact and nature of the proceedings in this Court to VictoryLand and presumably others prior to the "further order of this Court."

Were Roy Moore's colleagues on the Alabama Supreme Court, knowing Moore's continuing history of defying and criticizing a federal court, able to sign the VictoryLand order with straight faces? Did Moore himself sign the order without noticing the slightest trace of irony?

As "The Hypocrisy Judge," Roy Moore seems to think he can do just about anything--and no one will notice that he's a phony.

VictoryLand Judge Young Recusal by Roger Shuler