State Supreme Court Rules Monument Must Go

The Oklahoma State Supreme Court votes to remove the Ten Commandments monument from the state capitol grounds.

The ruling states "because the monument at issue operates for the use, benefit or support of a sect or system of religion, it violates Article 2, Section 5 of the Oklahoma Constitution and is enjoined and shall be removed."

Article 2, Section 5 bans the state government and officials from using public money or public property for the benefit of a religious purpose.

Tuesday's ruling reverses a district court ruling the monument can stay on capitol grounds.

The original monument was erected in 2012 after a bill authorizing it was passed by the legislature. It was paid for by State Rep. Mike Ritze (R-Broken Arrow). He issued the following statement Tuesday:

"I am deeply disappointed the court did not follow its own precedent or even bother to cite it. This 'opinion' reads more like a shot from the hip than a real opinion. When the court rules against legislative action that is in compliance with its own precedent it should at least explain itself to the legislature and the people. What will now become of the Native American religious symbols at the Capitol?"

After the vote several GOP lawmakers from across the state called for the impeachment of the seven Supreme Court justices who voted for the ban.

State representatives Kevin Calvey (R-OKC), John Bennett (R-Sallisaw), Casey Murdock (R-Felt), Lewis Moore (R-Edmond), Dan Fisher (R-Yukon), George Faught (R-Muskogee) and Mike Sanders (R-Kingfisher) say the justices are not being objective.

"Our state Supreme Court is playing politics by issuing rulings contrary to the Constitution, and contrary to the will of the clear majority of Oklahoma voters," Calvey said. "These Supreme Court justices are nothing more than politicians in black robes, masquerading as objective jurists. This ruling is the Court engaging in judicial bullying of the people of Oklahoma, pure and simple. It is time that the people chose jurists, rather than letting a tiny special interest group of lawyers at the Oklahoma Bar Association dictate who can and can't be a judge."

Calvey, an attorney, said the ruling has no basis in law.

"The Ten Commandments have undeniable historical significance as a foundation for U.S. law. The United States Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., itself depicts the Ten Commandments. To ban the Ten Commandments from the seat of our state's government shows that the court is imposing its own elitist political prejudices on the people."

The lawmakers said they would support impeachment in the next legislative session.

The original monument was destroyed in October of 2014 after a car crashed into it. It was replaced with a replica in January.