Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore spoke at a meet-and-greet event in Auburn Tuesday night as part of his campaign for U.S. Senate in the 2017 special election primary, which is set for Aug. 15.
Immediately following his resignation from the Alabama Supreme Court in April, Moore announced that he would be running for the U.S. Senate, pitting him against effective incumbent Sen. Luther Strange and Rep. Mo Brooks.
At the event, Moore spoke out against his competitors and Sen. Mitch McConnell for “trying to buy the people of this state” during the election.
A political action committee that has ties to McConnell and other establishment figures in Washington, the Senate Leadership Fund, has spent millions of dollars on ad buys in the state in support of Strange's candidacy.
Most of the money spent by the SLF so far has bought attack ads against Brooks. But a new ad, which began airing this week, attacks Moore.
“They’re trying to buy this election. They’re not getting out with the people, they don’t think they have to. They’re having fundraising dinners in Washington, D.C. What’s that got to do with Alabama?” Moore said. “The reason they don’t want me there is because Mitch McConnell … can’t afford a conservative rebel in a system already difficult to manage.”
Moore said that it is God’s will whether or not he wins the election and that a separation from God and lack of morality are the biggest problems facing the United States.
“Today we’ve taken God out," Moore said. "You go to Washington and you’re not supposed to talk about God, you’re not supposed to even talk about the Constitution because they don’t understand it. We see a government out of control, and we’ve got to get back to where government is for the people, not for the politicians.”
After denouncing the value of political correctness to an applauding crowd, Moore referenced President Donald Trump’s tweet announcing his decision to disallow transgender service members from serving in the U.S. military.
That decision has not been made official, and the military has not implemented the supposed ban.
“Anybody that thinks we need transgendered in the military, I can tell you, first it would be to pay for hormone treatments and sex change operations. Do you know you can’t change a man to a woman? That’s science. You can’t change a woman to a man,” Moore said to an audibly agreeing audience.
“That doesn’t give you a right to be something else. If you think you’re a bird and you want wings sewed on your arms, jump off the Empire State building. Are we going to pay taxpayer money to see that occur?”
He then went on denounce same-sex marriage, in line with his stance against the federal rulings overturning bans on same-sex marriage in 2015, which ultimately led to his suspension as Chief Justice.
“What gave the United States Supreme Court the right to change the definition of marriage? Because they felt it so? They felt good about it? That’s not what the Constitution says,” Moore said. “They took something that existed for centuries – they had more precedent for polygamy than they do for same-sex marriage.”
Other issues Moore spoke of include getting rid of the Affordable Health Care Act, putting a halt to illegal immigration through the building of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, eliminating federal control over education and raising military funding.
“Will I change my opinions? I don’t think so. Will I stop saying what I know to be true? I don’t think so,” Moore said. “What if I don’t get the job? I’ll still be saying what I’m saying now. I’m free.”
Moore, Strange and Brooks are the three leading conditioners in the race to replace former senator turned U.S. attorney general, Jeff Sessions. Bentley appointed Strange as the temporary senator earlier this year.
Gov. Kay Ivey called the special election in April. The special general election for the Senate seat will be held in December.
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