Moore booted from the bench Former chief justice, guilty of violating ethics, cites 'radical homosexual agenda'

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore testifies during his ethics trial before the Alabama Court of the Judiciary at the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday Sept. 28, 2016. (Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

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Gov. Robert Bentley has interviewed 11 candidates as possible replacements for U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, including suspended Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore.

The Montgomery Advertiser reported that Moore was interviewed.

Moore told AL.com that the governor's office contacted him for the interview, which was held Tuesday.

"I'd be honored to accept an appointment to the U.S. Senate if it was offered," Moore said.

Through today, the governor has interviewed the following candidates, according to communications director Yasamie August:

Former state Rep. Perry Hooper of Montgomery; Alabama Supreme Court Associate Justice Glenn Murdock; Rep. Connie Rowe, R-Jasper; Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur; Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster; U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville; Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston; Sen. Bill Hightower, R-Mobile; Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose; Rep. Bill Poole, R-Tuscaloosa.

Interviews will continue next week, August said.

President-elect Donald Trump has named Sessions as his choice for attorney general.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled the confirmation hearing for Sessions for Jan. 10 and 11.

Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

If Sessions is confirmed as attorney general, Bentley would appoint a replacement to fill the vacant Senate seat.

State law also requires Bentley to order a special election for someone to fill the remainder of Sessions' term. Sessions would have been up for re-election in 2020.

The law does not set a specific time for the special election but says the governor must "forthwith order an election" if the vacancy occurs more than four months before the next general election, which is in 2018.

Attorney General Luther Strange has announced he would run in the special election.

In September, the Court of the Judiciary suspended Moore for violating judicial ethics.

The key issue was an administrative order Moore wrote to probate judges in January advising them that an Alabama Supreme Court order to enforce the state's ban on gay marriage remained in effect.

That was about six months after the Supreme Court ruled that states had to allow and recognize gay marriage.

Moore said he was not urging defiance of federal courts but was providing an update on the Alabama case as part of his duty as the administrative leader of the state court system.

Moore has appealed the COJ's decision to a special Supreme Court appointed to hear the appeal.

Updated at 5:56 p.m. to add new names of people interviewed by the governor.