First Liberty Institute is representing Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of “Sweet Cakes by Melissa,” in a battle for the Oregon couple’s religious freedom. In 2013, a woman asked the Kleins to make a cake celebrating her same-sex wedding. As devout Christians, the Kleins felt that helping celebrate the wedding would violate their faith, so they declined to design and create the custom cake—only to have the State of Oregon punish them with a $135,000 penalty and issue a gag order against them. The Kleins were forced to shut down their business. They are appealing the ruling to the Oregon Court of Appeals. First Liberty Institute and Boyden Gray (former White House Counsel for President George H.W. Bush) are serving as their appellate counsel. Oral arguments are expected later this year.
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