Colorado’s anti-family ideologues – those in governmental positions from which they have been trying to dictate residents’ faith beliefs – are costing the state $1.5 million.

That’s the settlement amount reached for the lawyers who defended Lori Smith’s religious rights – and won at the Supreme Court where the justices again scolded the state for its anti-Christian bigotry, policies orchestrated under a homosexual Gov. Jared Polis.

A report from Complete Colorado explains the legal fees were awarded to Smith’s lawyers for their victory over the state.

Smith, a web designer, had been ordered by the state to violate her Christian beliefs and promote same-sex weddings if she was going to do any business regarding weddings in the state.

She challenged the religious dictate in court and ultimately won at the Supreme Court, which ruled 6-3 in her favor, finding that the First Amendment protected her Christian beliefs from the anti-Christian mandates espoused by the discriminatory Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act.

The report explained, “That law prohibits businesses open to the public from discriminating against members of protected classes, which includes sexual orientation. However, Smith successfully argued that since her Christian beliefs say marriage is only between one man and one woman, the state could not force her to use her creative skills to produce websites for same-sex weddings, which she successfully argued amounts to government-compelled speech.”

The report said state officials refused to comment on the massive costs of pursuing their anti-faith agenda.

Smith was represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom.

“Our clients Lorie Smith and her design studio, 303 Creative, prevailed at the US Supreme Court and achieved a landmark victory — a victory that helps to protect all Americans’ freedom of speech from government censorship and coercion,” ADF lawyer Bryan Neihart has explained.

Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the opinion in the case, stating, “The First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and complex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands.”

The leftists on the court claimed they wanted the right for government to dictate the beliefs of Christians in order to promote LGBT ideologies.

It was the second such catastrophic loss for Colorado at the Supreme Court on the same topic.

Earlier Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips won a similar war with the state, which tried to force him to repudiate his Christian faith and promote same-sex weddings, a case during which the Supreme Court also scolded Colorado for its “intolerance” for Christianity.

Bob Unruh

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially. Read more of Bob Unruh's articles here.