‘Sweet Cakes’ Bakers Defy Order To Pay Lesbian Couple

The devout Christian couple who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple are now apparently refusing to pay $135,000 in damages to the couple.

Three months ago, after a legal case lasting nearly two years, the owners of a bakery who had broken Oregon law were ordered to pay damages of $135,000 to the same-sex couple against whom they discriminated.

The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industry (BOLI), in announcing the final decision, stated, 

“The BOLI Final Order awards $60,000 in damages to Laurel Bowman-Cryer and $75,000 in damages to Rachel Bowman-Cryer for emotional suffering stemming directly from unlawful discrimination. The amounts are damages related to the harm suffered by the Complainants, not fines or civil penalties which are punitive in nature.”

Melissa Klein and her husband Aaron are the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa, and subsequently, its online incarnation, Sweet Cakes Bakery. They have made headlines and been heralded as saints by the religious right for standing up for their anti-gay religious beliefs.

In January of 2013, when Laurel Bowman and Rachel Cryer were planning their wedding, Sweet Cakes by Melissa was their family’s bakery of choice because they were so pleased with the cake Melissa made for Rachel’s mother’s wedding. But Aaron Klein refused to sell them a wedding cake, and when challenged, he cited a verse from Leviticus to support his refusal.

That refusal was a violation of an Oregon nondiscrimination statute. After a lengthy legal battle, the Kleins were ordered to pay the couple $135,000 in damages.

LOOK: Almost Everything You’ve Heard About The Anti-Gay Sweet Cakes Wedding Cake Case Is (Probably) Wrong

That order came on July 2, nearly three months ago.

Now, almost 90 days later, the Kleins reportedly have still not paid up.

It’s not as if they’re broke. As NCRM reported, the Kleins have been the beneficiaries of anti-gay conservatives’ “good will,” and have been the recipients of what is now nearly $500,000 in crowdfunding and other donations.

In “Sweet Cakes by Melissa Owners Defying Order to Pay $135,000 to Lesbian Couple Who Wanted a Wedding Cake,” Willamette Week reports that the Kleins’ attorneys have asked for “a stay while the Oregon Court of Appeals considers the Klein’s case, asserting payment would lead to ‘financial ruin.'”

The paper also reports several email conversations between the Kleins’ attorneys and Oregon officials, who finally are “seeking immediate payment.”

“Please inform the agency of when your clients will tender payment,” chief prosecutor Jenn Gaddis wrote on Sept. 16. “Otherwise we have no other option but to docket the judgement against them. It is unfortunate that they will not seek the bond or irrevocable letter of credit, that you had initially stated they were interested in seeking, when they have clearly raised close to $500,000 with which to pay the damage award.”

The Kleins – above, sitting net to MSNBC contributor Matt Schlapp –  were able to appear on a panel, for the second year in a row, at last weekend’s Values Voter Summit, hosted by the anti-gay hate group Family Research Council Action. They, along with Kim Davis, were honored for their defiance of the law.

 

This article has been updated to change the term “fine” to “damages,” and to add the statement from the BOLI. 

 

RELATED:

Same-Sex Couple In Sweet Cakes By Melissa Case Received Death Threats

GoFundMe Cancels Sweet Cakes By Melissa Fundraising Campaign, Bakers Blame ‘Satan’

Final Verdict In Oregon Bakers Case Comes To $135,000 – Right Wing Furious Over ‘Gay Fascism Tax’

 

Image: Screenshot via YouTube
Hat tip: Huffington Post