Judges review evidence of state bias against Christian bakers
Judges in Oregon's Court of Appeals this week considered evidence of bias against Christian faith in the state's prosecution of the owners of a Christian bakery who declined to create a cake for a same-sex wedding.
The state claimed Aaron and Melissa Klein, who ran Sweet Cakes by Melissa, violated its nondiscrimination rules when they rejected a request by Laurel Bowman-Cryer and Rachel Bowman-Cryer.
One official, Brad Avakian, publicly condemned the Kleins' actions as "hate-filled" even before the dispute came before him as commissioner of the state's Bureau of Labor and Industry.
He imposed a fine of $135,000 on the couple, forcing them out of business....