TOP REPUBLICANS RAISE THE VOLUME ON TEN COMMANDMENTS JUDGE ROY MOORE - PLEASE RUN FOR ALABAMA GOVERN

When former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore acted on principle and refused to adhere to a federal court order that he considered was both unlawful and improper, he never thought that his actions would lead to an overwhelming groundswell of support from across the country. His stance made headlines and brought international attention to this modern-day, David vs. Goliath showdown. Now, the same group of political and religious leaders that supported his actions then, are calling for Justice Moore to get back into the political arena and run for Governor of Alabama, where they believe his "no nonsense" approach and strong personal convictions will clean up a state known for its "good ole boy" politics and special interest groups. Moore was forced off the bench in November 2003 for defying a Federal judge's order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from public display in the state judicial building. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case on appeal. Moore struck a nerve in the nation's psyche as evidenced by the reactions of the public, both pro and con. Former senator, Zell Miller, flatly stated, "Throughout recorded history, brave men have been called on to stand take a stand--sometimes for country, sometimes for family, sometimes for the Lord above. Roy Moore is such a man." Former Ambassador to the United Nations and Presidential candidate, Alan Keyes, went even further when he was asked about his thoughts on Judge Moore, "There have been times in American history when the courage or understanding of one individual opened the door to the reform of major mistakes and injustices. When Chief Roy Moore refused the unlawful order of a Federal judge to remove the Ten Commandments from the Judicial Building in Alabama, he proved himself to be such an individual. We cannot yet know the full consequences of his principled stand . . . but it will be profound." There were certainly statements to the contrary, voiced by the political left, but the ratio of detractors versus Moore fans was unbalanced in Moore's favor, to say the least. Roy Moore stood up yet again on another controversial issue when certain special interest groups tried to impose on the citizens of Alabama a significant additional tax called "Equity Funding," referred to by many as The Billion Dollar Tax increase. Judge Roy Moore stood up to these special interest groups again when they tried to sneak by Amendment 2 in 2004 which would have given the courts the ability to raise taxes. As a result of his outspoken position during speeches around the country, quiet back room discussions about a possible run for Alabama Governor started taking on a life of their own. A committee was formed to draft Judge Moore for Alabama State Governor. Judge Moore, upon hearing about the efforts of so many people to convince him to run, expressed an interest in the race, but is still officially undecided at this point. The Committee is being co-chaired by former Alabama State Senator Roy Smith of Gadsden, Alabama, and by George Hundley. George Hundley served as Judge Moore's bailiff and personal assistant in the circuit court in Gadsden. The committee has been focusing on a petition drive, with the hope that enough signatures statewide and nationwide will successfully result in encouraging Judge Moore to make the decision to run. The prospect of Judge Moore running for office became a national topic of interest when he visited the Fox studios, where he was questioned by Sean Hannity, of the highly popular Hannity and Combs show. Hannity asked Moore point blank about his interest in running and this now famous dialogue ensued: HANNITY: All right. There is a lot of talk about you running for governor of the State of Alabama. MOORE: There is a lot of talk. I've been asked many times to run, and I am seriously considering it. I'm praying about it, and I'll make my decision sometime in the fall. HANNITY: Has the door been opened for you? MOORE: I think the door is open. The show ended with Hannity asking Judge Moore to please come back to the show and reveal the answer as to whether he would, in fact, run. For now, Moore continues to be showered by appeals by both statewide Republican officials and national leaders to throw his hat in the ring. He says he may decide as early as October on a run for Governor. Meanwhile, the current Republican Governor Bob Riley's approval rating was low in a recent poll that showed him running behind both Moore and ex-Governor Don Siegelman in a 2006 re-election scenario. United States Senator, Richard Shelby (R - Alabama), who has been a vocal supporter of Judge Moore, was very clear about Moore when he stated, "Former Chief Justice Roy Moore has raised critically important issues facing our country today regarding the acknowledgement of God. He reminds Americans that we cannot allow activist judges to continue their disregard of some of the basic principles on which our country was founded." In recent days, the volume has been rising steadily from other corners of the Republican party when Moore's name is mentioned. Prominent conservative writer Ann Coulter recently stated, "In the face of all our travails, Americans can take hope that God has given us men like Roy S. Moore." Similar statements were made by Oliver North, the host of "War Stories" on the Fox News Channel, when the topic of Moore's faith was brought up: "Roy Moore is a proven fighter for his faith and freedom." The Draft Moore Campaign has taken a new turn recently as many Moore devotees started asking about how they could help out. The demands for a focal point for potential candidate Moore to run grew to such a level that a web site was established to channel the enthusiasm. The site, aptly named www.WeNeedMoore.com, is now being visited by thousands of Moore supporters who wish to either volunteer time or provide support in the form of donations. The site also features an inspiring video with Moore, which includes some very surprising twists and turns. You can watch the video by going to www.WeWantMoore.com. Judge Moore has often stated he is praying about his decision to run. We believe God will answer his prayer. Please join me in showing him our support. Bruce Prokopets Executive Editor Press Direct International www.pressdirectint ernational.org