Judge Rejects St. Cloud Couple’s Argument For Refusing Gay 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 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.''