{"id":2127325,"date":"2023-12-17T10:05:01","date_gmt":"2023-12-17T15:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/1a-win-liberal-city-to-pay-6-figure-settlement-to-farmer-who-refused-to-host-gay-weddings\/"},"modified":"2023-12-17T10:10:07","modified_gmt":"2023-12-17T15:10:07","slug":"1a-win-liberal-city-to-pay-6-figure-settlement-to-farmer-who-refused-to-host-gay-weddings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/1a-win-liberal-city-to-pay-6-figure-settlement-to-farmer-who-refused-to-host-gay-weddings\/","title":{"rendered":"Liberal city compensates farmer for declining to host same-sex weddings"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2F1a-win-liberal-city-to-pay-6-figure-settlement-to-farmer-who-refused-to-host-gay-weddings%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2127325&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>An Uphill\u2062 Battle: Catholic Farmer Wins 6-Figure Settlement in Landmark Case<\/h2>\n<p>An attempt by\u2062 East Lansing, Michigan, \u200dto \u200cban a Catholic farmer from a farmers\u200b market due to his refusal to host same-sex weddings on his property has backfired spectacularly. In a groundbreaking settlement, U.S. \u200bDistrict Court Judge Paul Mahoney ruled\u200d that Stephen Tennes, owner of Country Mill Farms,\u2062 could collect \u2062$42,000 in damages and $783,800 in legal fees after prevailing in\u200c his\u2064 six-year court battle.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200c settlement also stipulates that East Lansing cannot enforce vendor guidelines that equate not hosting same-sex weddings with discrimination against Tennes in the future.<\/p>\n<p>The cost to the city\u200c of East Lansing for defending the case has already exceeded $292,000, and with the settlement, the total bill will surpass $1.1 million.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Remember Steve Tennes, the devout Christian excluded from the Farmer\u2019s Market who wouldn\u2019t host same-sex marriages?<br \/>\n  \u2063 The city violated his First Amendment<\/p>\n<p>East Lansing to pay 6-figure settlement in Country Mill farmers \u2064market\u2063 lawsuit <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3RAmw4x6ll\">https:\/\/t.co\/3RAmw4x6ll<\/a> \u200dvia <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LSJNews?\">@LSJNews<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Sandy  (@RightGlockMom) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RightGlockMom\/status\/1736037035775816149?\">December\u2062 16, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Tennes, speaking\u200d to Fox News, \u200bdescribed the difficult decision he and his \u200cfamily faced when the city banned them from the\u200b farmers\u2063 market for adhering to their faith. He expressed gratitude for the court&#8217;s ruling, stating that it \u200cnot only benefits his family but also upholds the \u2063rights of individuals\u2063 with diverse backgrounds and beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>Judge Mahoney\u2062 had previously\u200d ruled in \u2062August that the city was in the wrong \u2062for punishing Tennes but \u2062did\u200b not \u2063issue an order \u200don damages until \u2062now.<\/p>\n<p>Alliance\u200d Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Kate Anderson\u200b praised \u2064the court&#8217;s decision, emphasizing that it\u200c protects the First Amendment rights of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cuomo-to-partially-reopen-indoor-dining-in-nyc-for-valentines-day-if-positivity-rates-hold\/\" title=\"Cuomo To Partially Reopen Indoor Dining In NYC For Valentine\u2019s Day, \u2018If Positivity Rates Hold\u2019\">small business owners<\/a> like Tennes.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Free speech \u200cand religious freedom should\u200b be\u200b celebrated publicly, not silenced.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re\u200c thrilled to see that Steve\u200d Tennes, owner of Country Mill Farms, can now\u200b speak and live freely according to\u2064 his beliefs. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/JTGdVYffHc\">pic.twitter.com\/JTGdVYffHc<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014\u2062 Alliance Defending Freedom (@ADFLegal) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ADFLegal\/status\/1698771934719156527?\">September 4, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The ruling highlighted that East Lansing targeted Tennes based \u2063on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/roseanne-barr-spars-with-bill-mitchell-over-2024-republican-nomination\/\" title=\"Roseanne Barr and Bill Mitchell clash on 2024 GOP nomination.\">social media \u200cpost<\/a> in which \u2064he stated that his \u2063farm would not host same-sex weddings. The farm, which regularly \u200bhosts weddings, announced that it \u200cwould not host any same-sex weddings but would\u2064 refer inquiries to another orchard with more experience in that area.<\/p>\n<p>After \u2064being barred from the farmers market,\u2063 the farm temporarily ceased hosting weddings \u200bfor the 2016 season. However, in December 2016,\u2062 it resumed hosting weddings that \u2063did not require Tennes to compromise his principles.<\/p>\n<p>East Lansing subsequently revised its vendor guidelines to include its non-discrimination ordinance\u2063 and accused the \u2064farm of violating it.<\/p>\n<p>Tennes \u200bemerged victorious in a \u2063jury trial in 2021,\u200c as \u2062reported by \u200dThe Detroit News.<\/p>\n<p>The ruling released on Friday concluded\u2064 that the city&#8217;s decision to exclude Country Mill Farms from the 2017 East Lansing Farmer&#8217;s Market infringed upon the plaintiffs&#8217; religious beliefs\u2062 and forced them to choose between their faith and a \u200dgovernment benefit for which they \u2064were otherwise qualified.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/1a-win-liberal-city-pay-6-figure-settlement-farmer-refused-host-gay-weddings\/\">1A Win: Liberal City to Pay\u200b 6-Figure\u200d Settlement to Farmer Who \u2063Refused to Host Gay\u2064 Weddings<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\">The Western Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What \u200cwere the\u2062 arguments presented by\u200b Tennes and his legal team \u200dregarding the balance between religious freedom and \u2063the rights of the LGBTQ+ community?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u2063 &#8220;This settlement\u2064 is a victory not only for Stephen Tennes and his family but\u2062 for religious\u200d freedom in America,&#8221; Anderson said.<\/p>\n<p>The case of Stephen Tennes\u2062 and Country Mill Farms began in 2016 when\u200b the city of East Lansing\u2063 prohibited Tennes from participating in the local farmers market \u200bdue to his refusal to host same-sex \u200dweddings on his property. Tennes, a devout Catholic, held firm to his religious\u200d beliefs and \u200bcited his First \u2063Amendment rights as the\u2063 basis \u2063for his refusal. However,\u200d the city of East Lansing viewed Tennes&#8217; stance as discriminatory and sought to exclude him from the market.<\/p>\n<p>The legal battle that ensued lasted \u2064for\u200d six years and brought\u2064 significant attention to the issue\u2063 of religious \u200cfreedom versus anti-discrimination laws. Tennes\u2062 and his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-swoops-in-last-second-to-save-trumps-companies-but-doesnt-stop-fraud-trial\/\" title=\"Judge intervenes to save Trump's companies, but fraud trial continues.\">legal team \u200dargued<\/a> that the city was infringing\u2062 on his rights by \u200cforcing him to violate his \u200c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/buttigieg-attacks-christian-in-scotus-case-only-went-into-business-to-provoke-a-case-like-this\/\" title=\"Buttigieg criticizes Christian in SCOTUS case: Purposefully sought to create controversy.\">deeply-held religious beliefs<\/a>. The case raised important questions about \u200cthe\u200d balance between religious freedom and the rights of\u2063 the LGBTQ+ community.<\/p>\n<p>Judge \u2063Mahoney&#8217;s ruling in\u200c August 2023 firmly sided with Tennes, stating that the \u200bcity had violated \u2062his First Amendment rights. However, the issue of damages remained unresolved\u2063 until now. The recent settlement not\u2063 only\u2063 awarded Tennes $42,000 in damages but also required East Lansing to cover his substantial legal fees, amounting to $783,800. The financial burden on the city has far exceeded expectations, with a \u2062total cost exceeding $1.1 million.<\/p>\n<p>The repercussions of this case extend\u2062 far beyond East Lansing. It \u2063sets a precedent for\u2064 how similar \u2064disputes \u200bmay be handled in\u2062 the future. By acknowledging Tennes&#8217; rights as a small business owner and upholding his freedom to exercise his religion, the court sends a clear \u2062message that\u2063 religious \u200bfreedom\u2062 is a fundamental right that must \u200dbe protected.<\/p>\n<p>For Tennes, \u200dthis\u200b settlement brings both vindication \u2064and relief. In\u2062 an interview with Fox News,\u2062 he expressed gratitude for the court&#8217;s ruling, emphasizing that it not only benefits his family but also ensures \u200dthat individuals with diverse backgrounds and beliefs \u200bare protected.<\/p>\n<p>With \u200dthe \u2062support of organizations like Alliance Defending Freedom, Tennes was able\u2064 to fight for his rights and secure this \u2064landmark settlement. Senior\u2063 Counsel Kate Anderson praised\u2063 the court&#8217;s decision, recognizing \u2064its significance in\u200c safeguarding the First Amendment rights of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-appeals-to-small-business-in-expanded-bidenomics-pitch\/\" title=\"Biden targets small businesses in expanded Bidenomics pitch.\">small business \u2064owners<\/a>\u2062 like Tennes.<\/p>\n<p>As \u2064the dust settles on this long and arduous\u2063 legal battle, it remains evident that the\u2063 struggle\u2064 for \u200creligious \u200cfreedom in \u2063America is an uphill battle. However, this settlement serves as a reminder that perseverance and steadfastness can \u200dlead \u2064to victory. By standing up for his faith, \u200bStephen Tennes has not only defended his own rights but has paved\u2064 the\u200c way for others to do the same.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A bid to exclude a Catholic farmer from a farmers market in East Lansing, Michigan, due to his refusal to hold same-sex weddings on his property has backfired. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Mahoney ruled in favor of Stephen Tennes, owner of Country Mill Farms, in a settlement released on Friday<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":661,"featured_media":2127326,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2127325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2127325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/661"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2127325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2127325\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2127326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2127325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2127325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2127325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}