The Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists fined a Catholic counselor $89,636 after he declined to bless a client’s same-sex relationship.
Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit on behalf of the counselor, Frank Canepa.
“Counseling is speech, which is protected by the First Amendment,” Canepa’s attorney said. “Oregon law says counselors can’t impose their values on their clients. Canepa did not do that. He answered the client’s question when she demanded to know his personal view.”