Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweet Cakes bakery have filed a reply brief with the Oregon Court of Appeals. The Oregon couple were fined $135,000 for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex couple.
In the brief, the attorneys challenge the Bureau of Labor and Industries argument that the government can compel citizens to create art and engage in speech that goes against their beliefs. They contend that if the court allows the final order against the Kleins to stand, the court will be putting a stamp of approval on the idea that the government can force artists to celebrate causes that violate their conscience.
In 2013, a woman asked the Kleins for a custom-made cake for her same-sex wedding. The Kleins had served the women before, but as devout Christians, they believed that participating in the wedding celebration would violate their faith, so they declined to design and create the custom cake. The Oregon government responded by punishing them with a $135,000 penalty, forcing the Kleins to shut down their bakery. They continue to operate Sweet Cakes as an online business.
I thought the couple were fined for publishing the couple’s names and address on the Internet, not for refusing to bake a cake?