The fate of Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore is still up in the air. APR’s Alex AuBuchon was in Montgomery for yesterday’s hearing. He files this report.
The dozens of Roy Moore supporters that packed the steps of the Alabama Judicial Building yesterday will be pleased to learn the Chief Justice hasn’t been thrown out of office -- just yet.
The state Court of the Judiciary has decided to hold a trial after yesterday’s hearing proved insufficient to address Moore’s potential ethics violations. The Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission says Moore urged probate judges to defy a U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide.
But Moore says he was just letting the judges know the situation at the time.
“…and what the Supreme Court decides, the Supreme Court decides. They say I tried to influence the Supreme Court decision. I told them, ‘It’s your decision to retreat from Obergefell or take the other position’.”
The trial is scheduled for September 28. If the court decides Moore violated judicial ethics, he could face his second removal from office.
Former Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard is seeking a new trial. He says prosecutors stretched the intent of the state ethics law when securing convictions against him.
Attorneys for Hubbard filed the request Friday asking a judge to reverse Hubbard's conviction or grant a new trial.
A jury in June convicted Hubbard on 12 felony ethics charges. Prosecutors accused him of improperly soliciting investments, work and business advice from company officials and of using his office to benefit his clients.
Hubbard maintains the transactions were legitimate. He says investors in his printing company got a full value return on their investment.
Many of Alabama’s school are back in session for the fall semester this week. The state board of education says schools will be looking to hold around seven-hundred and forty thousand students this year.
Public Information Manager Malissa Valdes-Hubert says a free-lunch program has been initiated in low-income areas across the state.
“We really want all children to enjoy nutritious lunches. Many districts have what we call community eligibility provisions and that is that because unfortunately they have a large number of low income children in their district. They fortunately get to participate in a program that gives free lunch to all students.”
Parents can expect a higher standard for third graders. The installation of Lexi’s Law requires students to a more extensive knowledge of writing and reading cursive.