Designer in Supreme Court ruling cited client who denies making wedding site request

Colorado web designer Lorie Smith, who was recently permitted by the Supreme Court to refuse website creation for gay weddings, is in dispute over a request cited in case, denied by the supposed client.

The big picture: Smith cited a request from a man identified as Stewart, a request he denies making, as part of her case arguing for her right to refuse service to gay couples.
* This lawsuit was filed in a preemptive manner seven years ago, before Smith started creating wedding websites.
* While the lawsuit doesn’t revolve around this request, it was invoked by Smith’s attorneys during the lawsuit.

Continuing controversy: Stewart claims he never submitted the request and didn’t know his name was present in the lawsuit until recently.
* Stewart stated that he has been married to a woman for 15 years and that he is capable of creating his own website due to his profession as a designer.
* Smith’s lawyer, Kristen Waggoner, argues that the request was genuinely received through Smith’s website, and may possibly be from an internet troll.

Reaction and implications: The lawsuit has been labelled by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser as a “made up case” due to the fact that Smith was not offering wedding website services at the time it was filed.
* Weiser has called for the Supreme Court to address the lawsuit’s merits, terming them as lacking any basis in reality.
* The lawsuit has marked a significant win for Smith, although it’s seen as a setback for gay rights.

View original article on NPR

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