Bakers Who Allegedly Quoted Leviticus When Refusing To Sell Wedding Cake To Same-Sex Couple Finally Pay Bill

The Sweet Cakes By Melissa bakers for months have refused to pay damages to a same-sex couple they refused. Now they have – kind of.

In July, the the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) ordered Aaron and Melissa Klein, the infamous Sweet Cakes By Melissa bakers, to pay a total of $135,000 in damages to a lesbian couple to whom they refused to sell a wedding cake.

After refusing to sell the wedding cake, the mother of one of the women who was refused returned to the shop. Aaron Klein referenced a Bible verse from Leviticus — which in context, he’d cited perniciously — to call the Bowman-Cryer family “abominations,” a claim the Bowman-Cryers made in their complaint, and a claim Klein denies. 

The Kleins, despite being the recipients of donations from the religious right totaling more than $500,000, have refused to pay the bill, and as of September were in arrears.

In September, they became even more defiant.

“We feel like we shouldn’t have to pay when we haven’t even gotten due process,” Melissa Klein said. “We also feel like we’re taking a stand for the next person … that this could happen to. We don’t want to set a precedent.”

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

“We want to fight this, and we want to fight this all the way,” Klein added, and noted they are holding onto the $500,000 or so in donations for the future.

“Right now, we’re not touching that money, because we don’t know what the future holds,” Klein said. “We don’t know what’s going to come of all of this. We’re in the appeal process.”

Aaron Klein went even further, stating he did not see the BOLI as a valid legal authority.

“There’s legal reasons and there’s also kind of personal reasons,” Aaron Klein told the Heritage Foundation’s website, the Daily Signal. “If a civil court or a circuit court judge had made this order, I would consider it legally binding. But when a bureaucracy does it and I didn’t get due process, I don’t call it legally binding.”

Today, Aaron Klein changed his mind, after an ominious Facebook post by his wife several days ago.

Aaron Klein today dropped off a check to the state for $136,927.07, the amount due plus interest, according to Willamette Week.

Melissa Klein on December 23 wrote on Facebook, 

Im not able to share what all is going on with our case. But I will share that its getting harder and harder. I never imagined going through a struggle this hard. Im doing my best to keep my eyes on Jesus and trust in Him. Please be praying for us. Please pray for trust, strength, wisdom, and peace. I know that He is only molding us. I thank you all that have lifted our family in prayer ♡♡♡

Sadly, the couple who are to be the recipients of the funds will not even see one penny, at least not yet.

The Kleins are appealing, and the $135,000 will be held by the state until the appeal process is over.

 

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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’

 

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