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Dear John,
Good news! We just took the next major step in delivering #SweetJustice for Melissa Klein.
On Thursday, First Liberty appeared at the Oregon Court of Appeals to present oral argument in the case of Aaron and Melissa Klein, former owners of SweetCakes by Melissa. As you might remember, this is the same state court that effectively forced Aaron and Melissa out of business years ago by upholding a penalty of $135,000 for refusing to create a government-approved message that conflicted with their sincerely held religious beliefs.
The new hearing follows last June’s encouraging decision by the Supreme Court to vacate the Oregon court’s verdict. The Supreme Court ordered the lower court to reassess the case in light of Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which clearly stated government must be neutral toward the religious beliefs of citizens.
First Liberty Counsel Keisha Russel summed it up best: “The government should not be in the business of deciding whose faith is or is not acceptable. Government officials must remain neutral. When government decides whose faith is or is not acceptable, it discriminates against people of faith.”
In our press conference following the oral arguments, Melissa added: “We welcomed and served everyone in our bakery, we just simply could not endorse all messages. We lost everything we loved and worked so hard to build. Our hope is that maybe someday we can, once again, reopen our bakery and serve everyone without being forced to celebrate events that conflict with our religious beliefs.”
Now the big question remains: will the Oregon Courts openly defy the U.S. Supreme Court? We’ll let you know as soon as we find out—and you can be sure we will return to the Supreme Court to pursue ultimate justice for Melissa if they do.
In the meantime, the Kleins are still in the midst of a 7 year-long fight—and no one should have to endure such religious discrimination alone. If you would like to support Melissa and her family as they continue on this journey, please take a moment to sign a personal note of encouragement for Melissa below:
With your help, we can strengthen and encourage Melissa, and let her know that she has friends all over America who stand with her decision to run her business according to her faith.
Gratefully,
Kelly
Kelly J. Shackelford, Esq.
President, CEO & Chief Counsel
First Liberty Institute
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