Exclusive: Gary Johnson on Religious Liberty: Sell the Cake, Just Don't Decorate It

09-13-2016
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In an interview with The Brody File, libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson lays out his solution regarding Christian business owners who don’t want to provide a service that goes against their religious beliefs.

“In the case of the bakers, the bakers have to sell the cake but the baker doesn’t have to decorate the cake. That’s the First Amendment that comes to play. You don’t have to decorate the cake but you are in business so you got to sell that cake.” The full explanation is below.

The Brody File crew did this interview Monday afternoon in Philadelphia.

Johnson has been getting some decent traction in some states like New Hampshire, Arizona, and New Mexico, where he is a former two-time successful governor. He understands he’ll need more name recognition to climb.

If he gets to 15 percent nationally he’ll make the cut for the presidential debates. Right now he’s hovering around 10 percent. Johnson is fiscally conservative, socially liberal and a non-interventionist. In other words, he’s pure libertarian.

Gary Johnson: "I support religious freedom. When it comes to a store owner being able to discriminate on the basis of religion, that right now is not allowed. That would require legislation that…would be legislation that would allow for discrimination that currently is not allowed. As a church, I as a church, legislation that allows me to be able to practice my religion that I don't have to host a reception for gays if that is something as a church member that I find abhorrent, or that I don't have to, as a member of a synagogue, I don’t have to host a Christian reception in my synagogue. That's your church. That's your religion. You should be able to practice that unabated."

David Brody: "So let me play devil’s advocate here. There are a lot of folks that say you're mentioning the First Amendment, a lot of Christians would say 'Are you saying the First Amendment is fine within the four walls of your church but if you’re going to take it outside…'"

Johnson: "In the case of the bakers, the bakers have to sell the cake but the baker doesn't have to decorate the cake. That’s the First Amendment that comes to play. You don't have to decorate the cake but you are in business so you got to sell that cake. And, if you want to deal with the bakers specifically, I will sign legislation that deals with the Nazi that wants to buy a cake from a Jewish cake baker and wants it decorated. I will sign legislation allowing for that discrimination to take place."

Brody: "So just so I understand, not to get in the weeds, in essence, for example if someone came into a bakery, a gay customer, and wanted a cake for their wedding, you are saying the Christian business owner would have to sell the wedding cake…"

Johnson: "But doesn't have to decorate, yes. That's the reality of the law."

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