Same-Sex Couple Declares Legal War against Christian Baker
As U.S. Supreme Court weighs "Gay Wedding Cake" case, a California bakery owner's livelihood is at stake after lesbian couple files civil rights complaint.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif., Dec. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On the eve of a landmark Supreme Court hearing, two women are pursuing legal action against a baker who turned down a custom cake order for a same-sex marriage celebration. Religious liberty lawyer Charles LiMandri and the San Diego-based Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund (FCDF) are defending Cathy Miller, a devout Christian and owner of Tastries Bakery in Bakersfield, California.
In August, a lesbian couple entered the bakeshop purportedly to order a wedding cake, even though they had gotten married the previous December. Miller let the couple know that designing a custom cake to celebrate a same-sex marriage violated her religious beliefs about marriage. She then recommended a local baker who could create their cake. The women promptly left and took to social media to broadcast what had happened.
Two months later, the women filed a complaint with California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), which enforces the state's civil rights law that makes it illegal to refuse service to people based on their sexual orientation. On October 26, the DFEH placed Miller under formal investigation, which includes mandatory responses to 41 personal and business-related questions.
"Cathy Miller is a devout Christian with sincerely held religious beliefs about marriage," LiMandri, FCDF's President and Chief Counsel, said. "To be clear, she would have gladly sold the same-sex couple anything from her bakery or create a cake for them for another occasion. There is little doubt, however, that the lesbian couple's purpose for ordering a cake was to destroy Cathy and her business. And now the state of California is all too willing to join in on the warpath."
LiMandri added, "Fortunately, the First Amendment forbids the government from forcing creative professionals like Cathy to express messages that violate their conscience and religious convictions."
The same-sex couple's announcement comes on the eve of the Supreme Court's consideration of the case of Jack Phillips, the Colorado cake artist and owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop who declined for religious reasons to design a cake for a gay couple's wedding.
LiMandri commented, "We hope and pray that in the Masterpiece case the Supreme Court will uphold the Founding Fathers' clear intent to protect the religious beliefs of all people of conscience, including Cathy Miller."
The DFEH refused Miller's request to pause the investigation until the Supreme Court's decision in Masterpiece. Miller has 30 days to respond to the questions.
Led by Charles LiMandri, the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund is a team of experienced trial lawyers who litigate pro bono cases related to religious freedom, bioethics, and education. For inquiries, please contact Daniel Piedra, FCDF Executive Director at [email protected] or (858) 759-9948.
SOURCE Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund
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