Colorado’s costly blunder: $1.5 million payout after violating Christian web designer’s free speech rights.
Isn’t it nice to see justice done?
At a Glance
- Colorado agrees to pay over $1.5 million in attorneys’ fees for violating Lorie Smith’s free speech rights
- Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that Colorado’s law violated Smith’s First Amendment rights
- Case highlights ongoing legal battles between religious freedom and anti-discrimination laws
- Settlement concludes a nearly seven-year lawsuit, with Colorado taxpayers bearing the cost
Colorado’s Costly Lesson in Constitutional Rights
In a stunning rebuke to government overreach, Colorado has agreed to pay over $1.5 million in attorneys’ fees for violating the free speech rights of Lorie Smith, owner of 303 Creative. This settlement marks the end of a nearly seven-year legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court, highlighting the ongoing tension between religious liberty and anti-discrimination laws.
Smith, a web designer, challenged Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act, asserting that it infringed upon her First Amendment rights by compelling her to create messages that conflicted with her religious beliefs. The crux of the issue was Smith’s desire to design websites for traditional weddings while facing potential punishment for refusing to create websites for same-sex weddings.
Colorado To Pay $1.5 Million To Christian Web Designer After Losing Supreme Court Case https://t.co/ToJIZ7jfHT
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) November 22, 2024
Supreme Court’s Landmark Decision
In a decisive 6-3 ruling in 2023, the Supreme Court sided with Smith, affirming that Colorado’s law indeed violated her free speech rights. Justice Neil Gorsuch, delivering the majority opinion, emphasized a fundamental principle of the First Amendment:
“The First Amendment prohibits Colorado from forcing a website designer to create expressive designs speaking messages with which the designer disagrees…. The First Amendment’s protections belong to all, not just to speakers whose motives the government finds worthy. In this case, Colorado seeks to force an individual to speak in ways that align with its views but defy her conscience about a matter of major significance,” Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch said.
This ruling underscores the Court’s commitment to protecting individual liberties, even when they clash with popular social agendas. It’s a clear message that the government cannot compel speech, regardless of its intentions.
Implications for Religious Freedom and Free Speech
The case of 303 Creative v. Elenis is not isolated. It follows a pattern of legal challenges faced by business owners like Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop, who also fought Colorado’s law on similar grounds. These cases highlight a growing concern: the government’s attempt to force individuals to express messages that contradict their deeply held beliefs.
“The government can’t force Americans to say things they don’t believe, and Colorado officials have paid and will continue to pay a high price when they violate this foundational freedom. For the past 12 years, Colorado has targeted people of faith and forced them to express messages that violate their conscience and that advance the government’s preferred ideology…” ADF CEO and President Kristin Waggoner Kristen, whose organization represented Smith, Waggoner said.
A Victory for Constitutional Rights
Lorie Smith’s response to the settlement encapsulates the significance of this legal victory:
“As the Supreme Court said, I’m free to create art consistent with my beliefs without fear of Colorado punishing me anymore. This is a win not just for me but for all Americans—for those who share my beliefs and for those who hold different views. I love people and work with everyone, including those who identify as LGBT. For me, it’s always about what message is requested, never the person making the request. I hope that everyone will celebrate the court’s decision upholding this right for each of us to speak freely.”
It’s good when sanity prevails, isn’t it?
