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WASHINGTON. – A florist in Washington state fined $1 000 for refusing to sell a same-sex couple wedding flowers and also facing a consumer-protection lawsuit filed by the state has netted more than $85 000 in a crowd-funding campaign.The Seattle Times reports that nearly half of the money on the gofundme.com page set up in late February for Barronelle Stutzman (70), came in the last several days.
Supporters have compared Stutzman’s benefit page to an Indiana pizza shop that raised more than $800 000 after closing when a co-owner expressed support for the state’s new religious objections law to protect private business owners.
The co-owner said the shop wouldn’t cater a gay wedding.
But Indiana legislators, facing mounting pressure, tweaked the law late last week to address concerns that it would allow discrimination against gays and lesbians.
Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers and Gifts in Richland, Washington, was fined $1 000 in Benton County Superior Court in March after refusing to serve a same-sex couple in 2013. That’s a violation of that state’s anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws, the court ruled. – AP.
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