Is he related to this lightweight wannabe revolutionary, Bob Avakian? If not they could be brothers from different mothers
Posted on 04/24/2015 1:34:05 PM PDT by mykroar
An Oregon administrative law judge recommended today that the bakers who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding should be fined $135,000.
“[T]he forum concludes that $75,000 and $60,000, are appropriate awards to compensate [the same-sex couple] for the emotional suffering they experienced,” wrote Alan McCullough, administrative law judge for Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries in his proposed order.
Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa located in Gresham, Ore., say the fine is enough to potentially bankrupt their family of seven.
The dispute began in January 2013, when Aaron denied Rachel Cryer a wedding cake after learning there would be two brides in her wedding.
Aaron and his wife Melissa are both Christians and believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.
Rachel and her partner Laurel Bowman-Cryer, who are now married, filed a complaint with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries under the state’s public accommodation law, which bans discrimination based on a person’s sexual orientation.
The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries pursued charges against the Kleins on behalf of the same-sex couple.
In January 2015, an investigation by the bureau found the Kleins guilty of violating the state’s public accommodation law by denying Rachel and Laurel full and equal access to their bakery, which the state considers a place of public accommodation.
The Civil Rights Division of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries is responsible for enforcing the state’s public accommodation law, and the judge who issued today’s proposed order works for the bureau.
In order to reach $135,000, Rachel and Laurel submitted a long list of alleged physical, emotional and mental damages they claim to have experienced as a result of the Kleins’ unlawful conduct.
One of the women, whose name was redacted to protect her privacy, listed 88 symptoms as grounds for compensation. The other, whose name was also redacted, listed 90.
Examples of symptoms include “acute loss of confidence,” “doubt,” “excessive sleep,” “felt mentally raped, dirty and shameful,” “high blood pressure,” “impaired digestion,” “loss of appetite,” “migraine headaches,” “pale and sick at home after work,” “resumption of smoking habit,” “shock” “stunned,” “surprise,” “uncertainty,” “weight gain” and “worry.”
Harmon, the Kleins’ lawyer, told The Daily Signal that during the hearing “there was no expert testimony.”
The witnesses at the hearing were the two women who were requesting a cake, one of their mothers, one of their brothers and another family member. There was no doctor, there was no psychologist, no expert testimony at all.
In collecting the fine, Harmon said the state isn’t just pursuing the Kleins’ business assets, but their personal livelihood as well.
“An important thing to understand about the damages the state is claiming in this case is that the [fine] isn’t going to come from liquidating business assets,” she said.
Their business is gone. They don’t have business assets so when we talk about [the fine], it’s personal. It means that’s money they would have used to feed their children that they can’t use anymore.
In September 2013, after facing public backlash, the Kleins had to close their bakery.
The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries did not respond to The Daily Signal’s multiple requests for comment.
Paul Thompson, the attorney representing the lesbians, previously said he has “a policy of not discussing cases that are the subject of open litigation.”
Aaron, in an exclusive interview with The Daily Signal on Sunday, said the state of Oregon is attempting to “obliterate” his family.
“The state is now saying that we can award damages above and beyond what you have already suffered … and they have no qualms about doing this,” he said. “It is really showing the state is taking a stance on absolutely obliterating somebody that takes a different stance than the state has.”
The recommended fine will now go to to state Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, who can either accept it or adjust the amount in issuing a final order.
Good point-where's the proof of the so called injuries?
Really. These are everyday symptoms that, at one time, all of us have had occur in our everyday personal/work lives. Not really deserving of any type of payment.
Christians in large numbers will need to be willing to be persecuted for their faith by refusing to play their game.
BUMP
But they'll need to change the First Amendment first. And Religion has protected rights.
Now what I want to know is, where the hell are the Attorneys out there Pro-bono
to go after the state for civil rights violations? Sue the FAG out of them!
Where the hell are the ACLU? Yea I know, but it must be asked due to
their hypocrisy.
I emailed him. I encourage others to do so also. We can no longer remain silent."
I don't know who your email address is referencing...?
from the article: "The dispute began in January 2013, when Aaron denied Rachel Cryer a wedding cake after learning there would be two brides in her wedding.
Rachel and her partner Laurel Bowman-Cryer, who are now married..."
I think someone should start a LGBT Heroes Page - create a wall featuring all the gay heroes who have succeeded in destroying people's livelihood and small businesses...
It could include photos, adressess, emails, workplace, friends and family, etc. All sorts of info to enable their fans to contact and thank them for taking their courageous stands and congratulating them on their success... they could inspire each other.
The article says their names were redacted in some of the court documents and I'm afraid they aren't getting all the kudos they deserve...
Administrative law is unconstitutional. Worse, they could have gone anywhere for another cake.
These tribunals will simply become/are thought police and deadly show trials.
The key here is that the state is using all its might to subdue Christian thought. What started out as innocently hoping for non-discrimination is actually a sword for prosecutorial discretion.
bfl
Melissa Klein, and her husband Aaron Klein, Christian owners of Melissa's Sweet Cakes Bakery, are fighting back. Support them a GoFundMe.
http://www.gofundme.com/su4cxqe6
As of right now, they've raised $80,000 out of the $150,000 they hope to raise. They are continuing to fight this outrageous, tyrannical ruling.
Already up to $94k.
discriminate, discriminate, discriminate. They hate us, let them reap what they sow.
I did what I can. Closing in on $100k.
$99,780 of $150k
You could also tell them that all the proceeds from the sale will go to organizations that help gays become ex-gays.
They need to hire attorneys who can bump this to the USSC on 1st Amendment violations.
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