WASHINGTON — A judge's legal fight to put a 2 1/2-ton granite Ten Commandments monument back on display in an Alabama courthouse ended Nov. 3 when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case.

According to The Associated Press, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore will take his political crusade for the Ten Commandments state-to-state, even though the high court rejected his appeal without comment.

Lower federal courts ruled Moore violated the government's ban on promoting religion when he placed the monument in the rotunda of the state judicial building two years ago. The display was moved this summer over Moore's objections.

"It's not over. We do not intend to be stopped. We do not intend to give up. We have only begun to fight," said Moore, who offered to let Congress use his display in the Capitol.

In appeals to the Supreme Court, Moore argued lower courts do not have authority over a state's chief justice. Moore was suspended as chief justice for defying a court order to remove the monument. He goes on trial before the Alabama Court of the Judiciary Nov. 12 on charges he violated judicial ethics.

Moore challenged the high court to settle the issue of the so-called wall of separation between church and state, and accused justices of ducking their responsibility.

The Constitution contains no absolute divide between God and government, and Moore argued that his Ten Commandments display was in keeping with the religious vision of the nation's founders, the news service reported.