A federal judge ruled in favor of a Michigan apple orchard owner who was banned from participating in a farmer's market for refusing to host same-sex weddings.
Judge Paul Maloney, for the U.S District Court for the Western District of Michigan, ruled Monday that the city of East Lansing's actions against Country Mill Farms constituted a violation of the free exercise clause.
"The city's decision to exclude Country Mill Farms from the 2017 East Lansing Farmer's Market constituted a burden on plaintiffs' religious beliefs," Maloney wrote, The Brunswick News reported.
"Plaintiffs were forced to choose between following their religious beliefs and a government benefit for which they were otherwise qualified."
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative legal group representing Country Mill Farms owner Steve Tennes, said Tuesday that Tennes was happy with the judge's decision.
"The district court's decision rightly protects Steve's freedom to operate his business according to his convictions," said Kate Anderson, senior counsel for ADF. "Country Mill has continued to participate in the farmer's market without issue during this litigation."
ADF said city officials had enacted a policy to prohibit Country Mill Farms from participating in the city's farmer's market after Tennes posted on Facebook that he follows the Catholic church's teachings about marriage, including when he participates in weddings at his family's farm.
"Steve and his family-run Country Mill Farms happily serve all customers as a valued vendor at East Lansing farmer's market, and he's grateful he can continue his longtime partnership with the city and its residents," Anderson said, UPI reported.
Country Mill Farms, in a 2017 suit, argued that its First Amendment rights, particularly its right to free exercise of religion, had been violated. The judge then granted a preliminary injunction that blocked East Lansing's ban during the pendency of the case.
The Brunswick News reported that East Lansing officials said they were reviewing Maloney's decision and "will be discussing potential options," according to communications director Carrie Sampson.
Maloney, an appointee of then-President George W. Bush, based his opinion in part on a 2019 U.S. Supreme Court opinion that found Philadelphia had violated the free exercise clause when it refused to work with a Catholic adoption agency because they wouldn't place children with same-sex couples.
The Supreme Court in June ruled that a Christian graphic artist who wants to design wedding websites can refuse to work with same-sex couples.
The court ruled for designer Lorie Smith despite a Colorado law that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, gender, and other characteristics. Smith had argued that the law violates her free speech rights.
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Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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