From the hate group Alliance Defending Freedom:
A settlement agreement secured by Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys with the ACLU ends a lawsuit brought against floral artist Barronelle Stutzman nearly a decade ago without forcing her to act against her religious beliefs or to pay potentially ruinous attorneys’ fees—a threat she has endured for years.
Stutzman has chosen to retire so her beloved employees can run her business, Arlene’s Flowers. She will withdraw a pending petition for rehearing at the U.S. Supreme Court and make a payment of only $5,000 to the two men who sued her.
Stutzman, 77 and a great-grandmother, explained that she is at peace because the settlement allows her to finally retire with her conscience intact, and she knows that the legal effort to protect the artistic freedoms of creative professionals will continue in cases like 303 Creative v. Elenis, which the U.S. Supreme Court could decide to hear soon.
GOOD NEWS: We’ve settled Arlene’s Flowers, the case where a flower shop refused to sell a gay couple flowers for their wedding.
The petition seeking review of our WA Sup Ct victory will be dismissed.
Our clients, Rob and Curt, are thankful their long journey is finally over.
— Ria Tabacco Mar (@RiaTabaccoMar) November 18, 2021
The parties say they’ve ended litigation over a florist who lost legal battle after declining to provide flowers for same-sex wedding. Justices decided last July not to take the case, but Arlene’s Flowers asked for reconsideration. Here’s a story from then https://t.co/JFg3ypb22x
— Robert Barnes (@scotusreporter) November 18, 2021
WOW: Supreme Court denies cert in Arlene’s Flowers, the case involving the florist who refuses to provide services for same-sex weddings. Alito, Gorsuch and Thomas would have heard the case. pic.twitter.com/dBIv4DGTZY
— Steven Mazie (@stevenmazie) July 2, 2021