Posted on 05/30/2019 1:22:29 PM PDT by Impala64ssa
Sweet Cakes by Melissa refused service to a lesbian couple Avakian lost his bid to Oregon Secretary of State to a Republican (CNN) — Could it be the year of the underdog? The presidential election wasn't the only contest to see an upset. Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, who came to national attention for heftily fining a local bakery that refused to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple, lost.
Avakian, a champion of the LGBTQ community, was running for Secretary of State. As labor commissioner since 2008, Avakian often made news for his tough calls against businesses discriminating against gay and transgender customers.
The most noteworthy was when Sweet Cakes by Melissa refused to make the wedding cake for the same-sex couple in 2013, citing the owners' religious beliefs. Shop owners Melissa and Aaron Klein were ordered to pay $135,000 in emotional damages. They were also told they couldn't refuse customers based on sexual orientation.
Melissa Klein claimed the ruling stripped the couple of their First Amendment rights. "According to the state of Oregon we neither have freedom of religion or freedom of speech," she said in a Facebook post at the time. "Sweet Cakes by Melissa" eventually shut down completely, though their Facebook page remains active. Avakian was also responsible for slamming a $400,000 fine on a Portland bar owner who refused service to transgender customers, according to the Oregon Live. In his bid for Secretary of State, Avakian promised a push for "progressive values" like wage equality and reproductive freedoms. His conservative opponent promised to adhere to the position's basic, more traditional roles, like auditing public records and officiating elections. In the end, the opponent, Dennis Richardson won 48% of the popular vote, beating Avakian by nearly 100,000 votes.
(Excerpt) Read more at -m.cnn.com ...
Um, ya. Richardson is dead, btw.
Ironically, Avakian took a parting shot at the libs in Salem as he ended his Labor Commissioner role.
No, they appointed a RINO, 80 something year OLD GOP WOMAN to replace Richardson. In a couple years well have another election.
bump
The first thing she did was fire Dennis’ top four aides.
What a rotten thing to do.
I was heartbroken when Dennis died, I helped him on a lot of his campaigns and worked in his office until he went to Salem.
I don’t understand why tragedy seems to visit the good guys, but leaves monsters untouched...
Ed in GP
Sye, there's the rub...from their point of view, they were refusing based on religious beliefs (protected under Constitution) while from the sexually confused folks, the decision was based on their sexual activities and the way they prefer their orgasms to be initiated...(not protected under the Constitution).
Heartbroken here too...and yes I knew about the firings...the witch!
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