Posted on 07/12/2015 12:16:03 PM PDT by Nachum
After getting hit with a financially-crushing $135,000 fine last week for their decision to not bake a cake for a lesbian wedding, the Christian owners of the Oregon "Sweetcakes by Melissa" bakery say they have until Monday to pay up, or else the state of Oregon could place a lien on their home.
The punishing fine was levied by Oregon's Bureau of Labor and Industry against the couple for unlawful discrimination against a same-sex couple.
They must pay in full by Monday with "personal property" rather than only business assets and the fine "has the potential to financially ruin" the family of five, according to business owner Aaron Klein. Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian "knew that full well going into this," said Klein.
Baking a cake for a lesbian wedding violates their Christian beliefs, the Kleins say, and they plan to appeal. However the fine hangs over their heads in the mean time.
"This is intimidation and bullying — that's exactly what it is," Klein told Fox News in an interview." They are trying to strong-arm me into handing over $135,000 to the two girls and if I win on appeal — they will never pay me back."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
Need to watch the video at the site linked to above folks;
The DOJ was involved at some time???
(Sorry Leni. Your post was just the one I stopped at randomly on my was through the thread :)
Although I should point out that you’d have a hard time lassoing up 50,000 in eastern OR. Population of Pendleton, OR (Pendleton Roundup fame) is 16,500.
You mean - - human toilets.
Yeah, that’s probably true.
They should declare BK. Then fight the fine under BK rules in federal court.
“With a lien, they might be able to force a sale to demand payment.”
That would probably take a court order.
The Klein's say they're going to appeal the verdict, I've not seen anything that they've actually filed their appeal.
If they've filed their appeal, then there has to be an order staying the judgement against them pending the outcome of the appeal.
I've not read anything about that either.
——”Of course, they can also ask for a stay of enforcement while they pursue their appeal,” he said.-——
——The Kleins have said they filed a stay.-——
Looks like they have filed a stay.... I am asumming an appeal takes longer to process....
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Who are the judgement creditors who would file the liens?
Of course not. What fun would that be?
Pay the fine.
The personal assets angle is a new wrinkle in this, at least to me.
It’s a clear indication that the goal here is a very public punishment for personal thoughtcrime rather than simple restitution for discrimination by a business entity.
I have seen some lefties saying that the fine had something to do with the Kleins posting the personal contact information for the lesbian couple on their FaceBook. Does anyone know anything about this? I can’t seem to find info in the news about it - except what some are saying in comments.
I wondered the same thing. Would they be smart to put that money in escrow to show their intention and ability to pay, but not actually turn the money over since the fine is under appeal? In the meantime, should Avakian carry out his threatened lien, how soon should Sweetcakes’ lawyer begin suing the crap out of Avakian for this conflict-of-interest bullying and abuse, and the State of Oregon (for letting the bureaucrat abuse his office)?
No.
Placating bureaucracy isn’t surrender.
Yes it is.
No it’s not.
Then it becomes a squabble over what punishment is suitable.
Never give ground in these type of cases.
Protesting bureaucracy is a waste of time. The correct course of action is to change the law the bureaucracy exploits.
If it’s your position the fine has no legal basis and can easily be dismissed, then proceed. But Sweetcakes shouldn’t battle the black hole of bureaucracy for the sake of beating bureaucracy at a cost that exceeds the fine.
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