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. ...