Oregon bakery appeals fine for turning away lesbian couple

PORTLAND, Ore. – The owners of a shuttered Oregon bakery fined for refusing to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that lawyers for Melissa and Aaron Klein, former owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa, filed the petition Monday.

They’re asking the high court to overturn a state order to pay $135,000 in emotional damages to the couple they turned away.

The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries imposed the fine in 2015 after finding the Kleins had violated a state anti-discrimination law. An Oregon appeals court upheld the order, and the state Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

The U.S. high court ruled in favour of a Colorado baker in a similar case, but that decision didn’t address whether a business can invoke religious objections to refuse service to lesbian and gay people.

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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com