Ep. 54 Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission

In 2012, a same-sex couple entered Masterpiece Cakeshop and asked
its owner, Jack Phillips, to create a cake for their wedding
reception in Denver, Colorado. Phillips declined the request,
reportedly telling the couple, “Sorry guys, I don’t make cakes
for same-sex weddings.”


That brief, 20-second exchange eventually found its way to the
U.S. Supreme Court, where it is now the subject of one of the
most controversial First Amendment cases in years. The issue
before the court is whether applying Colorado's public
accommodations law to compel Phillips to create a cake for a gay
wedding violates the free speech or free exercise clauses of the
First Amendment.


On this episode of So to Speak, we feature a First Amendment
Salon debate about the case that occured last month.


Arguing on the side of Masterpiece Cakeshop are Robert
Corn-Revere (Davis Wright Tremaine) and Ilya Shapiro (Cato
Institute). Arguing on the side of the Colorado Civil Rights
Commission are John Paul Schnapper-Casteras (Schnapper-Casteras
PLLC) and Sarah Warbelow (Human Rights Campaign). The debate is
moderated by American University Law School Professor Stephen
Warmiel.


A video version of this and past First Amendment Salon
conversations can be found on the Foundation for Individual
rights in Education’s YouTube page (youtube.com/thefireorg).


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