The White House on Tuesday praised a
Supreme Court ruling in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to make
a wedding cake for a gay couple.
White House Press Secretary Sarah
Huckabee Sanders hailed the decision as a win for religious freedom.
“When it comes to the bakers, we were
pleased with the Supreme Court’s decision,” Sanders said. “The
First Amendment prohibits government discriminating on the basis
of religious beliefs, and the Supreme Court rightly concluded that
the Colorado Civil Rights Commission failed to show tolerance and
respect for his religious beliefs.”
The U.S. Department of Justice filed an
amicus brief in support of Jack Phillips, the owner of
Masterpiece Cakeshop, who said that making such a cake would violate
his religious beliefs.
“In this case and others, the
Department of Justice will continue to vigorously defend the free
speech and religious freedom First Amendment rights,” Sanders said.
The Supreme Court said that the
Colorado Civil Rights Commission had shown hostility toward Phillips'
religious beliefs in ruling that he had violated the state's
anti-discrimination laws when he refused to make the cake. Rather
than striking down the law, the high court vacated the decision.
(Related: Supreme
Court narrowly sides with baker who refused gay couple.)