Alabama's highest court on Wednesday upheld the decision that removed Roy Moore from the bench.

Last year, the Alabama Court of the Judiciary suspended Moore without pay for the remainder of his term as chief justice. Because of his age, Moore cannot run for the office again.

The nine-member panel found Moore guilty of violating the state's cannons of judicial ethics. The charges stem from an administrative order Moore issued months after the Supreme Court found in Obergefell that gay and lesbian couples have a constitutional right to marry. Moore effectively ordered the state's 68 probate judges to ignore the high court's ruling, saying that it did not apply in Alabama because the state's highest court had upheld Alabama's marriage ban four months prior to Obergefell.

Moore has argued that his January 6, 2016 order was meant to provide a “status” report for judges and was not a call to defy the Supreme Court on Obergefell.

Moore appealed the ruling to a special state supreme court made up of retired judges.

According to AL.com, Moore remained defiant during a press conference with reporters held at the Alabama State Capitol.

“I have done my duty under the laws of this state to stand for the undeniable truth that God ordained marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” Moore said.

Moore has a long record of opposing same-sex marriage, including claiming that such unions go against God, will lead to incest, polygamy and child abuse, and will “destroy the United States.”

Moore also said that he would announce next week whether he'll run for the U.S. Senate seat once held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.