10 Shocking Facts About Roy Moore That Everyone Should Know

Roy Moore, born February 11, 1947, is an influential yet controversial figure in American politics, serving as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama twice, with tenures from 2001 to 2003 and again from 2013 to 2017. His judicial career ended each time due to removal for judicial misconduct by the Alabama Court of the Judiciary.

Moore emerged as the Republican nominee in the 2017 U.S. Senate special election in Alabama, aiming to fill the seat left vacant by Jeff Sessions. However, his campaign was marred by serious allegations of sexual misconduct from multiple women who accused him of assaulting them when they were minors, resulting in a loss to Democrat Doug Jones. Moore’s subsequent 2020 Senate bid also failed, as he lost in the Republican primary.

Moore’s educational background includes attendance at West Point, where he served as a company commander in the Military Police Corps during the Vietnam War. He earned his law degree from the University of Alabama Law School and began his legal career in the Etowah County district attorney’s office as an assistant district attorney from 1977 to 1982. In 1992, he was appointed circuit judge by Governor Guy Hunt, winning election in the next term. His first term as chief justice came in 2001 but ended in 2003 after he defied a federal court order to remove a marble monument displaying the Ten Commandments from the Alabama Judicial Building rotunda.

Moore’s political ambitions extended to the Alabama governorship, where he sought the Republican nomination in both 2006 and 2010 but was unsuccessful. After being re-elected chief justice in 2012, he faced suspension in May 2016 for refusing to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage (Obergefell v. Hodges) and ultimately resigned in April 2017.

In November 2017, during his Senate campaign, Moore was publicly accused by several women of sexual misconduct; specifically, three women alleged he had assaulted them at ages 14, 16, and 28, while others claimed he pursued relationships with minors. Although Moore admitted to dating teenagers as a 30-year-old, he consistently denied the allegations of sexual assault. Trump endorsed him shortly before the election, prompting some Republicans to soften their stance. Nonetheless, Moore lost the election, marking the first time since 1992 that a Democrat secured a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama.

Moore is characterized politically as far-right and has been associated with Christian nationalism. His views have sparked controversy, particularly regarding race, LGBTQ+ rights, and Islam. Moore advocates for a public policy heavily influenced by Christianity and has been linked with neo-Confederate and white nationalist groups.

He also played a notable role in the “birther” movement, which falsely claimed that Barack Obama was not a U.S. citizen. Besides his political activities,Roy Moore founded the Foundation for Moral Law, where he reportedly raised over $1 million, despite discrepancies in reported compensation. This combination of legal, political, and societal challenges fuels the ongoing scrutiny of Moore’s career.

Early Life of Roy Moore

Education and military service

Roy Moore was born in Gadsden, Alabama, to construction worker Roy Baxter Moore and Evelyn Stewart. He is the eldest of five children and grew up with two brothers and two sisters. The family moved to Houston, Texas, during a postwar building boom in 1954, but after approximately four years returned to Alabama, then relocated to Pennsylvania, before finally settling back in Alabama. His father worked with the Tennessee Valley Authority, involved first in dam construction and later at the Anniston Army Depot. Moore started high school at Gallant near Gadsden and finished at Etowah County High School, graduating in 1965.

He was admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, on a recommendation from Democratic U.S. Representative Albert Rains, and his nomination was confirmed by incoming Republican Representative James D. Martin. Moore graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

With the Vietnam War ongoing, he served as a military police officer at various posts, including Fort Benning, Georgia, and Illesheim, West Germany, before being deployed to South Vietnam. As the commander of the 188th Military Police Company of the 504th Military Police Battalion, Moore was seen as reckless yet strict, insisting his troops salute him even in dangerous situations, which drew criticism due to the risks it posed. His strict disciplinary approach earned him the nickname “Captain America” among his soldiers, and he later recalled needing to sleep on sandbags to protect himself from potential fragging attacks.

After being discharged as a captain in 1974, Roy Moore entered the University of Alabama School of Law. However, he struggled to gain respect from professors and fellow students due to his lack of analytical skills. He graduated in 1977 with a Juris Doctor degree and subsequently returned to Gadsden.

Elections and travels

Roy Moore began his legal career as the first full-time prosecutor for Etowah County, where he faced scrutiny from the state bar for convening a grand jury regarding alleged funding shortages in the sheriff’s office. After the investigation was dismissed, he resigned to run for a circuit-court judge seat in 1982 as a Democrat. The campaign was contentious, with Moore accusing opponents of delaying legal cases for bribes, although these claims were unproven.

He lost to Donald Stewart in the Democratic runoff primary and subsequently faced another unfounded bar complaint. Following his defeat, Moore relocated to Australia, a long-desired trip that he postponed after his Vietnam service. In Australia, he engaged in various agricultural activities, including sugar cane harvesting, and worked at the Telemon ranch in Queensland, where he reportedly adapted well to the labor despite his prior lack of experience.

Moore married Kayla Kisor in December 1985 and later ran for the district attorney’s office in 1986 against Democrat Jimmy Hedgspeth, again facing defeat. In 1992, he switched his political affiliation to the Republican Party, marking a significant shift in his political career trajectory.

Judicial career of Roy Moore

Circuit Judge (1992–2000)

Appointment

In 1992, following the death of Etowah County circuit judge Julius Swann while in office, Republican governor H. Guy Hunt took charge of appointing a successor until the upcoming election. Among those considered for the position was a candidate named Moore, whose nomination was supported by several of his allies. A thorough background check was conducted by multiple state and county agencies, including the Etowah County district attorney’s office.

Notably, Roy Moore’s former political rival, Jimmy Hedgspeth, who was then serving as the D.A., ultimately endorsed Moore for the appointment, despite his initial reservations about him. This endorsement led to Moore being appointed to the position he had unsuccessfully contested in 1982. Subsequently, in the 1994 election for the Etowah County circuit judge seat, Moore ran again as a Republican and achieved a significant victory, earning 62% of the vote. This win was particularly notable as he became the first Republican to secure a county-wide position since the Reconstruction era.

Early prayer/Ten Commandments controversy

During his time as a circuit judge, Moore displayed a homemade wooden plaque of the Ten Commandments in his courtroom, claiming it was intended to occupy an empty wall and convey the significance of these commandments. He insisted that he did not aim to provoke controversy, acknowledging its potential while asserting a desire to ground the law in moral values.

However, issues arose when the plaque drew objections during a murder trial, particularly when the defendant’s attorney raised concerns about its presence. Critics also took issue with Moore’s practice of beginning court sessions with prayers intended to seek divine assistance for jurors, which included one occasion where he invited a clergyman to lead the jury pool in prayer.

This led the local ACLU to send a letter in June 1993, warning him of potential legal action should these prayers continue. Subsequent to their communication, on June 20, 1994, the ACLU dispatched a representative to witness and document the pre-session prayers. While no immediate lawsuit was filed, Roy Moore labeled this observation as an “act of intimidation” during a post-trial press conference. The resultant publicity did not hinder his electoral ambitions; he won re-election decisively against his opponent, attorney Keith Pitts, who had previously led the prosecution in the infamous “Silk and Satin” murder case.

Lawsuit

In March 1995, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) initiated a lawsuit against Judge Roy Moore, asserting that his practice of holding pre-court session prayers and the display of the Ten Commandments in the courtroom violated the U.S. Constitution. Although the original lawsuit was ultimately dismissed due to technicalities, Alabama Governor Fob James directed state attorney general Bill Pryor to pursue a separate suit in Montgomery County, thereby supporting Moore. During the proceedings, presided over by state circuit judge Charles Price, a ruling was rendered in 1996 declaring the pre-session prayers unconstitutional. However, Judge Price initially permitted the continued display of the Ten Commandments plaque on the courtroom wall.

Following this initial verdict, Roy Moore organized a press conference in which he publicly stated his intention to defy the ruling against the prayers and emphasized the religious significance of the plaque. This provoked a backlash from critics who called for Judge Price to reconsider his previous ruling.

In response, Judge Price later issued a new order demanding the removal of the Ten Commandments plaque within ten days. In an act of defiance, Roy Moore appealed the judge’s decision and kept the plaque in place. Subsequently, the Supreme Court of Alabama intervened, granting a temporary stay against the ruling requiring the plaque’s removal. Ultimately, the case was dismissed in 1998 by the Supreme Court for procedural reasons without a resolution on the substantive issues at stake.

Chief Justice, Alabama Supreme Court (2001–2003 and 2012–2017)

Campaign and election

In late 1999, the American Family Association initiated efforts to recruit Roy Moore for the role of chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court after incumbent Perry O. Hooper, Sr. announced his decision not to seek reelection.

Despite initial hesitance due to a lack of funding and strong competition, particularly from Associate Justice Harold See, Moore officially declared his candidacy on December 7, 1999. He aimed to reintroduce religious values into public life, arguing that the decline of Christianity was directly linked to increasing school violence, homosexuality, and crime.

Roy Moore quickly became a frontrunner for the Republican nomination, bolstered by significant support from the business community and party leadership, including Hooper. However, as Moore gained momentum in state polls, See solicited assistance from notable Republican strategist Karl Rove, who had ties to Texas Governor George W. Bush.

Despite Rove’s backing and a considerable campaign budget, See failed to secure the nomination, with Moore winning the primary election decisively—receiving over 50% of the statewide vote without a runoff, overcoming challengers Pam Baschab and Wayne Thorn. Moore subsequently triumphed over Democratic candidate Sharon Yates in the general election, capturing more than 60% of the votes.

Roy Moore was inaugurated as chief justice on January 15, 2001, in a ceremony attended by notable figures, including former U.S. Representative James D. Martin, who had previously appointed him to West Point. Upon taking office, Moore articulated a profound understanding of the First Amendment and its spiritual implications, emphasizing the perceived removal of a divine connection from legal practices in Alabama and the U.S.

He acknowledged his commitment to uphold not only the U.S. Constitution but also the Alabama Constitution, which underscores its foundational ties to the Almighty. Moore’s statement underscored his belief in the integral connection between God and the law.

Ten Commandments monument controversy

Construction and installation

A month after his election, Moore initiated plans to build a significant monument to the Ten Commandments, asserting that the Heflin-Torbert Judicial Building needed more than just a wooden plaque. His finalized design included a substantial granite block weighing 5,280 pounds (2,390 kg) and measuring three feet (0.91 m) wide, three feet deep, and four feet (1.2 m) tall.

This block was to feature inscriptions from the Declaration of Independence, the national anthem, and various quotes from the founding fathers. The centerpiece of the monument would be two prominently carved tablets displaying the Ten Commandments. High-quality granite sourced from Vermont was procured and delivered, while Moore successfully secured benefactors and a sculptor to execute the project. Importantly, these actions were undertaken without the consent or prior knowledge of the eight associate justices.

On July 31, 2001, Moore successfully transported and installed a completed monument in the rotunda, an important event documented on videotapes sold by Coral Ridge Ministries, an evangelical media organization based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The sales of these tapes were utilized to cover Moore’s subsequent legal expenses.

The following day, Moore held a press conference in the rotunda for the monument’s public unveiling. During his speech at this event, he proclaimed the necessity of recognizing the foundational role of God in the nation and its laws, expressing a desire for the day to signify a restoration of the moral foundations of law and a return to the acknowledgment of God in society.

Federal lawsuit

On October 30, 2001, a coalition including the ACLU of Alabama, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Southern Poverty Law Center initiated legal action in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, seeking the removal of a monument from the Heflin-Torbert Judicial Building.

The plaintiffs contended that the monument communicates a government endorsement of religion, particularly Judeo-Christianity, to all visitors of the building. The case, titled Glassroth v. Moore, commenced on October 15, 2002, providing a platform for various testimonies. Lawyers of diverse religious backgrounds reported modifying their work routines to avoid the building, illustrating the monument’s impact on the atmosphere, which many described as conducive to prayer.

Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore defended the monument, asserting its removal would breach his oath of office. He insisted that the monument serves as a reminder for judges and legal practitioners of what he interpreted as a fundamental aspect of Alabama’s constitutional Preamble — the invocation of ‘the favor and guidance of almighty God’ in achieving justice. Moore emphasized that the Ten Commandments constitute a critical moral foundation of U.S. law and argued for a societal restoration to this moral base, which he believed began with the installation of the monument in the state judiciary building.

Moore openly acknowledged the theistic purpose behind the monument, affirming it reflects God’s sovereignty and His power in human affairs. Contrary to concerns raised about the separation of church and state, Moore maintained that this acknowledgment does not constitute a violation of that principle. He elaborated that, while both the church and state are to remain distinct in their operations, they owe allegiance to a higher power, namely the Judeo-Christian God, who he argued reigns over both realms. The trial encapsulated a broader debate about the intersection of faith, culture, and governmental authority in America.