‘We lost everything we loved and worked so hard to build’
By Bob Unruh
Aaron and Melissa Klein were fined $135,000 for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.
The state of Oregon, already told by the U.S. Supreme Court in so many words to quit showing hostility to a Christian baker, is taking another stab at getting the case right.
It was a state official who years ago when the case involving Sweet Cakes by Melissa first erupted who lashed out angrily at the Christian owners, Aaron and Melissa Klein, and accused them of being criminals.
They were fined $135,000 by state officials when they declined orders to violate their Christian faith and promote same-sex weddings with their artistry.
That’s the same issue that was before the high court in the Colorado case involving Masterpiece Cakeshop and owner Jack Phillips. That’s the case where Colorado was resoundingly blasted for exhibiting “hostility” to Christianity.
The Sweet Cakes case, on appeal, was sent back to the state for the decision to be changed in alignment with the Masterpiece ruling.
So state officials there, instead of following the intent of the high court’s ruling, lowered the penalty from $135,000 to $30,000 by essentially copying and repeating their earlier condemnation.
Now, officials with First Liberty Institute confirm that the Oregon Court of Appeals, again, has heard arguments in the case.