DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (AP) — In contrast to ruling in favor of a Colorado baker at the beginning of June who cited his religious beliefs in refusing to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, the Supreme Court is ordering Washington courts to take a new look at the case of a florist who refused to provide services for the wedding of two men because of her religious objection to same-sex marriage.
The justices’ order Monday means the court is passing for now on the chance to decide whether business owners can refuse on religious grounds to comply with anti-discrimination laws that protect LGBT people.
That’s the same issue they confronted, but ultimately passed over, in the recent ruling in favor of a Colorado baker who also objected to same-sex marriage on religious grounds.
In the Colorado case, the Supreme Court said that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission expressed anti-religious bias in violation of the baker’s constitutional rights. Washington courts will review the florist’s case for similar issues.
It’s not clear from the record that the Washington Supreme Court will evaluate Stutzman’s case any differently in light of the Colorado ruling.
Read more: Supreme Court rules for Colorado baker who refused to make same-sex couple’s wedding cake
There are no similar allegations that bias affected the state court decisions, and Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said the recent Supreme Court ruling will have no effect on the case against Baronelle Stutzman and her Arlene’s Flowers store in Richland, Washington.
But the Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Kristen Waggoner, who represents Stutzman, said Ferguson “pursued unprecedented measures to punish Barronelle not just in her capacity as a business owner but also in her personal capacity.”
Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
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Twitter: @STGnews
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
If finance companies can discriminate against guns why are these thing even issues?
Wait.. I will also answer. Good ol Obama
A gun is not a living thing. It’s impossible to discriminate against a gun
Because gun ownership is not a protected class under civil rights law. Two very different things. And its also a corporation making a decision against another corporation not a business discriminating against an individual.
Just proves that as a business you can refuse your services to anyone any time and for any reason, just like “At Will” employment. The point is, you don’t need a reason!
Kind of, unless it is evident that its because its based on reasons of being part of a protected class. That can because of statements made to the client, as in the case of Masterpiece, or overwhelming evidence found otherwise, like internal memos found during discovery, etc.
There is broad but not unlimited power to deny service as a business owner. And fron a CYA perspective its legally safer to not provide a reason.
BF sounds like a law school drop out.
Nope, just a citizen with a working knowledge of government and civics.
Swing and a miss.
I bet you swing both ways BF
Ah, going old school homophobia now. Not really to worried about desperate attempts to insult me that way as I never found calling someone bisexual all that insulting or problematic. Its just a reflection of the sad lengths trolls like you go to deflect from a lack of ideas relevant to the forum or even a hint of originality.
John has been trying this tactic for a year and failing miserably. Given your efforts the last couple days I’m not too worried you’ll do any better.
Uhhh… I meant swing lefty and righty. You are the one that assumed otherwise.
Something like that, definitely long winded and pompous..
b&f is a pompous know nothing blowhard.. It’s not opinion, it’s fact!
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
It means exactly what it think it means.. B&F is a pompous blowhard..hahahahahaha! It’s a fact and most agree!
Not a law school drop out.. just a long winded useless drop out..hahahahahahaha!
Especially when it comes to running people like the president’s press secretary Sanders out of your restaurant for doing a spin job for our fascist president.
Gaybird.. you so funny
jailturd likes to let his stupid show…he can’t help it, he just does..hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Something like that, definitely long winded and pompous..
Ya know, this “Gay Couple” could have just walked down the street to another cake shop. But NO ! they needed to have a pissy fit and make a big deal out of it so they could have another 15 minutes of fame.
Black Americans could have just found another bus or another lunch counter or another college.