Judge Dismisses St. Cloud Couple's Argument For Refusing LGBTQ Customers
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a legal challenge by the owners of a Minnesota video company who want to shoot weddings for heterosexual couples only.
Carl and Angel Larsen own Telescope Media Group and filed a lawsuit in December against the state's human rights commissioner and attorney general contesting a Minnesota law that bans businesses from denying wedding services to same-sex couples. The St. Cloud couple's lawsuit was a pre-emptive effort to avoid penalties for turning away same-sex customers.
Chief District Judge John Tunheim rejected the Larsens' argument that the law was an effort to "stamp out expression opposing same-sex marriage."
The Star Tribune reports the judge's 63-page ruling Wednesday described the Larsens' plan to turn away same-sex couple as "conduct akin to a 'White Applicants Only' sign."
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