Christian bakery continues to refuse to pay $135,000 fine to lesbian couple over a wedding cake

Melissa and Aaron wanted to fight all the way for their religious views, including ignoring blatantly and intentionally the imposed fine for not baking the lesbian wedding cake. In response to the statement made by the spokesperson for the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, Melissa said they chose not to as they wait for the result of their court appeal. They also worry that they would set a bad precedent if they just agreed on paying the fine.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Melissa Klein is the owner of Sweet Cakes by Melissa bakery and has decided to stand against the $135,000 fine.

"We feel like we shouldn't have to pay when we haven't even gotten due process. We also feel like we're taking a stand for the next person ... that this could happen to. We don't want to set a precedent," Melissa told TheBlaze. "We want to fight this, and we want to fight this all the way."

Her statements came as a response to questions and concerns raised by Charlie Burr, Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries spokesperson.

Burr told the Daily Signal that his agency is "exploring collection options." He said the government could potentially go after the Klein's home and assets.

"It's difficult to understand the Kleins' unwillingness to pay the debt when they have, very publicly, raised nearly a half million dollars," said Burr, referring to the donations through a crowdfunding campaign by their supporters. The agency spokesperson emphasized "they are entitled to a full and fair review of the case, but to not have the right to disregard a legally binding order."

Aaron said that they still await court order and will not touch even a penny of the raised money until the appeal was determined. The couple had repeatedly defied the order of paying the lesbian couple, Rachel Cryer-Bowman and Laurel Bowman-Cryer, $135,000 after they refused to bake them a wedding cake.

"If a civil court or a circuit court judge had made this order, I would consider it legally binding. But when a bureaucracy does it and I didn't get due process, I don't call it legally binding," he said.

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