Posted on 10/05/2015 9:01:53 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Officials in Oregon have started a legal process to seize $135,000 from Christian bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein after they refused to pay the state-ordered damages for declining to bake a cake for a lesbian marriage ceremony.
"Our agency has docketed the judgment and is exploring collection options," Charlie Burr, communications director at Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, told The Daily Signal. "They are entitled to a full and fair review of the case, but do not have the right to disregard a legally binding order."
It's a preliminary step to seize the Kleins' house, property, or other assets in lieu of payment.
In July, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, or BOLI, ordered the Kleins to pay $135,000 for declining to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple, Rachel Cryer and Laurel Bowman, who filed a civil rights complaint against the bakery in 2013 for "emotional, mental, and physical suffering."
However, the Kleins, former owners of Sweet Cakes, have filed an appeal of the ruling and are defying the order to pay, citing financial hardship among other reasons. The couple had to shut down their bakery after the civil rights complaint was filed.
The Kleins have said they will resist the order.
"There's legal reasons and there's also kind of personal reasons," Aaron Klein was quoted as saying. "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."
The Kleins' attorneys asked BOLI to issue a stay in order to put the damages payment on hold until their appeals ruling comes out. However, the agency is not willing.
"It's difficult to understand the Kleins' unwillingness to pay the debt when they have, very publicly, raised nearly a half million dollars," Burr said. "They are entitled to a full and fair review of the case, but do not have the right to disregard a legally binding order."
The Kleins raised some money through crowdfunding sites, but Aaron says the "half million" figure is "bloated."
"It is not what we have available, it is not what we have on hand, and there are so many variables to where that money has to go, what has to happen with that money, that we're not touching that money for any purpose because I don't know what the future holds," he was quoted as saying.
In the complaint against the bakers in 2013, Bowman alleged that Sweet Cakes refused to sell her and her fiancée a cake for their upcoming wedding and that Aaron Klein called their relationship an "abomination unto the Lord."
Later that year, Bowman filed an anti-discrimination complaint with BOLI, charging that the Christian couple had violated the Oregon Equality Act of 2007. Although the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa are religious, the bakery is not recognized as a religious institution under law, BOLI said.
Shortly before the couple was forced out of business, Aaron said he had apologized for wasting the lesbian couple's time and explained that they don't participate in same-sex marriages based on religious grounds. "(I) honestly did not mean to hurt anybody, didn't mean to make anybody upset, (it's) just something I believe in very strongly."
Whole lot of folks in gubmint needs tar and feathering.
“If you are Christian and living in Oregon, you may want to re-think that situation. “
Have any church leaders spoken out publicly about this dreadful situation?
.
Is this “Oregon” place located in the United States of America? If it is, we are in big trouble.
I wonder how much money they will get out of the Family of the Jihadist Christian Hating Mulatto who Murdered nine People?
14th Amendment, Section 1: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States [emphasis added]; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Can anybody provide a link where Fx News comments on the clause emphasized above?
Pro-gay activist Oregon state officials are violating Section 1 imo, unthinkingly using the PC, constitutionally unprotected “right” of gay marriage to trump a constitutionally enumerated right, the Klein’s 1st Amendment protected right of religious expression in this case.
I think it's going to be worse than that; a shooting war is bound to happen someday. Not that I would advocate it, but many folks are fed up with what's happening.
I am truly stunned that we haven’t seen many more beaurocrats and judges exterminated by wronged individuals.
Not that i am calling for it, just surprised.
Same here. You're wise, in CYA. A long time ago I had a discussion with the famed attorney Melvin Belli. He always made it a point to speak in the 3rd person, to deflect accusations. As in, "Some would say those guys should be shot; oh I would never say such a thing, but I heard others saying it.". Like I heard, a whole lot of anger out there about officials taking wrong sides.
To our homosexual customers: We will be happy to bake for you a homosexual wedding cake. However, please note that all proceeds from that sale will be donated to the Ted Cruz for President campaign."
They can vary the message as they see fit. For example, they could say the donation is for a Christian organization or maybe a pro-life foundation. You get the picture. We could have fun with this and still be in "compliance" with the law.
Can U say,
EPA?
IRS?
Or a hundred other gub mint outfits that have become more than they should.
They should have said “We’d love to bake your cake, but it would be offensive to the Prophet Mohammed”.
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