Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said Wednesday that the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that the Westboro Baptist Church’s protests at military funerals are protected by the First Amendment “vindicated” his office’s decision not to join an amicus brief against Fred Phelps and the followers of the church.

“While, as both the court in its 8-1 decision and this office have recognized, the speech at issue was vile and reprehensible, it is constitutionally protected under the First Amendment,” Cuccinelli said.