Common themes in current, past cases against Alabama justice

The complaint accuses him of willfully failing to respect the authority of U.S. Supreme Court and lower federal court decisions that cleared the way for gay marriage, which Moore opposes on the basis of his faith.

[...] 13 years ago, Moore cited his religious faith in disregarding a federal judge's order to remove a massive, stone Ten Commandments monument he had erected in Alabama's main judicial building in Montgomery.

Republican Gov. Robert Bentley is fighting an impeachment effort amid a sexually charged scandal involving a former aide, and Republican House Speaker Mike Hubbard is set for trial later this month on felony ethics charges that would result in his removal from office upon conviction.

In the gay marriage dispute, Moore issued an administrative order in January telling probate judges that state laws against gay marriage remain in effect despite federal court rulings that said the opposite, judicial investigators alleged.

Years before, fellow state justices had to step in and remove the Ten Commandments monument after Moore failed to follow the federal court order.