An Alabama judge has thrown out Roy Moore’s last-ditch attempt to keep state officials from certifying his Democratic opponent as the winner of the Alabama special Senate election earlier this month.
As part of Moore’s lawsuit alleging voter fraud filed Wednesday night, the former state Supreme Court Justice requested a temporary restraint order on the certification of the election until the fraud claims were investigated. Montgomery Circuit Court Judge Johnny Hardwick rejected Moore’s request Thursday, according to reports from the Star Telegraph and a copy of the order obtained by The New York Times.
An Alabama judge's ruling against Roy Moore. pic.twitter.com/T9xl3K4NND
— Alan Blinder (@alanblinder) December 28, 2017
In an 11th-hour attempt to stall the certification of his defeat, Moore filed a complaint alleging widespread voting irregularities in at least one county in Alabama. He also claimed that there was an “unusual, unexplained pattern” of voters having out-of-state driver’s licenses at one particular polling place and that a Democrat-backed super PAC, practiced “voter intimidation” tactics in its pro-Jones advertisements.
In the complaint, Moore’s attorneys asked for an investigation into the fraud allegations and eventually a new election, but state officials said they have not found evidence of voter fraud.
Alabama’s canvassing board officially certified Jones as the state’s newest senator Thursday afternoon.
Moore’s upset came after weeks of national news coverage of past controversial comments and mounting allegations of sexual misconduct. Multiple women came forward alleging Moore either pursued relationships or made inappropriate sexual advances toward them when they were teens and he was in his 30s.
