Bakers Who Refused Lesbians’ Wedding Cake Lose Appeal for $135,000 Fine

It's been four years since Melissa and Aaron Klein refused to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple citing their religious beliefs as their reason for refusal. After a drawn-out court case the Kleins, owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa, were ordered last year to pay a fine of $135,000.

During a cake-tasting appointment for Laurel and Rachel Bowman-Cryer, the Kleins allegedly recited a passage from the book of Leviticus in the bible, calling gay people "abominations." Though the known anti-gay American Family Association helped raise $400,000 to fund the Kleins' court costs and fee, Sweet Cakes by Melissa still closed down.

Related | Democrats & LGBTQ Groups Rally With Gay Couple Who Were Refused Wedding Cake

After having already paid the fine the Kleins appealed. Yesterday, the Oregon Court of Appeals upheld the original decision in the case when a three-judge panel refused to overturn the ruling.

"Today's ruling sends a strong signal that Oregon remains open to all," said Brad Avakian, Oregon's labor commissioner in a statement. "Within Oregon's public accommodations law is the basic principle of human decency that every person, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, has the freedom to fully participate in society," he said, according to Reuters.

Though the Kleins claimed baking the cake went against their religious beliefs, they had no problems baking cakes that celebrated divorce and cakes for a "gay cure" group.