Alabama judge says he has no regrets about halting gay marriage

Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore is standing by his decision to try to halt same-sex marriage in his state.

“I think every definition of the word marriage is not found within the powers designated to the federal government,” said Moore in an interview with ABC’s Steve Osunsami.

When asked if he thought if he was on the wrong side of history, Moore said, “absolutely not.”

On Monday Alabama became the 37th state, and the first in the Deep South, to begin allowing gay couples to get hitched. But some local judges are refusing to issue licenses, despite the federal ruling overturning the state ban on same-sex marriage.

Late Sunday, Moore ordered all Alabama employees not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, or recognize licensees from out of state.

In Tuscaloosa, same-sex couples were turned away and handed an order from Moore, reported Osunsami.

“We’ve waited 33 years for this, I mean it’s a big disappointment,” one couple told ABC News.

Despite the push back from Moore and state officials, many couples did get manage to get married, including Tori Sisson, 24, and Shanté Wolfe, 21, who camped outside the county courthouse overnight to become the first same-sex newlyweds in Montgomery, Alabama.

Sisson told Fusion about camping out — with a sprained ankle — because she couldn’t wait to get married.

“After years of waiting, our union is now legitimate. The two of us, like many other loving, committed LGBT couples in Alabama, can now marry in the place they call home,” Sisson said in a blog post for the Human Rights Campaign.

Geneva Sands is a Washington, D.C.-based producer/editor focused on national affairs and politics. Egg creams, Raleigh and pie are three of her favorite things.