An Oregon bakery fined $135,000 for
refusing to serve a lesbian couple has appealed the decision to the
Oregon Supreme Court.
In December, the Oregon Court of
Appeals upheld a decision by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and
Industries that found Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweet Cakes
by Melissa, guilty of unlawfully discriminating against the couple
when they refused to make a cake for the women's commitment ceremony.
Aaron Klein declined to make the cake
for the women on January 17, 2013. Klein said he does not hate gays
but that making a cake for a same-sex wedding would violate his
faith. (At the time, Oregon had the nation's most robust domestic
partnership law. Following a federal judge's ruling in May, 2014,
Oregon became the 18th state to allow gay and lesbian
couples to marry.)
In appealing the decision to the
appeals court, the Kleins argued that the fine was excessive and the
commissioner was biased against them, The
Oregonian
reported.
The Supreme Court has heard arguments
in a similar case and a ruling is expected by June.
(Related: Anthony
Kennedy sends mixed signals in “gay wedding cake” case.)