Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley vowed Friday that he would “never do anything to disobey a federal court ruling.” Ala. gov on gay marriage: I'll obey federal ruling

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley vowed Friday that he would “never do anything to disobey a federal court ruling” when asked about the legal fight over same-sex marriage in the Deep South state.

“We are a nation under laws,” Bentley told POLITICO. “We may not always agree with them, but we obey them.”


Earlier this month, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore instructed probate judges not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, despite a federal court ruling that the state’s ban on such unions was unconstitutional.

Bentley spoke Friday while in Washington, D.C. for a meeting of the National Governors Association.

Most Alabama counties’ probate judges are currently issuing same-sex marriage licenses, although in the immediate days after Moore’s order many were uncertain what to do.

The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT advocacy group, reported Wednesday that, of the state’s 67 counties, only 19 have decided to stop issuing licenses for any kind of marriage or declined to issue them to gay couples.

Moore has not backed down from his stance that same-sex marriage remains unlawful in Alabama. He said on Fox News Sunday that he believes probate judges that choose to follow the federal court ruling and not his instructions are breaking the law.

“There is no law right now that overcomes the Alabama Constitution,” Moore said.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene and stop same-sex marriages in Alabama from beginning on Feb. 9.

Oral arguments for a Supreme Court case that will ultimately decide whether Alabama’s same-sex marriage ban is constitutional are schedule to begin in April. The ruling is due by the end of June.