when charlie craig and david mullens were denied the cake, they filed the plate with the colorado civil rights commission and they ruled in they favor. it was the way that the baker was treated that turned the case. anthony kennedy writing some of the commissioners at the commission's formal public hearings endorsed the view that religious beliefs cannot legitimately be carried into the public sphere. they characterized it as rhetorical and compared the invocation of his religious beliefs to slavery and the holocaust. >> we're excited that the supreme court has decided to protect the religious freedoms for everybody. justice kennedy's opinion can be summed up as tolerance is a

all of which began when charlie craig and dave mullins walked into masterpiece cake shop in 2012. >> like any couple charlie and i were really excited to be getting married. >> reporter: same-sex marriage was still not legal in colorado. sought couple was planning to get married in massachusetts, followed by a reception back home near denver. >> and on this particular day when we were going to sample wedding cakes -- >> and when david and charlie came in we introduced ourselves, what can i do for you. we're here to look at wedding cakes. it's for our wedding p. >> it was a really special day because charlie's mom was in town. she does not live in denver. so she was particularly excited. >> so i realized right then that this is not a cake that i'm going to be able to design and create for them. so i tried to apologize to them and say i'll sell you cookies, brownies, birthday cakes, anything else in my store. >> but we weren't in there for brownies for my birthday. we were in there because we needed a cake to serve at our reception. >> at which point they both jumped up, swore at me, st

mar is a senior staff attorney with the aclu's lgbt and hiv project and counsel of record for charlie craig david mullins in masterpiece cakeshop v. colorado civil rights commission. tune in wednesday, tamara, for with -- democracy now! is accepting applications for our paid video production fellowships. find out more at democracynow.org. democracy now! is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed captioning. e-mail ymmenco to outreach@democracynow.org or mail them to democracy now! p.o. box 693 new york, new york 10013. [captioning ma possible democracy now!]

. >> reporter: charlie craig and dave mullins said they left phillips masterpiece cakeshop in 2012 devastated. >> i was shocked. i mean, neither one of us had ever been treated this way before at a business. >> reporter: colorado's civil rights commission found that phillips had violated state laws against discrimination. but the supreme court took issue with commissioners describing phillips' beliefs as "irrational" and "offensive." in a 7-2 decision, justice anthony kennedy describing a "clear and impermissible hostility toward the sincere religious beliefs" of the baker. today, gay rights activists taking comfort in a limited decision. >> it was a very narrow decisio facts of this particular case. in no way did the supreme court undermine our nation's civil rights laws. >> reporter: the nation's views on same-sex marriage evolving. the most recent abc news poll found that 81% of americans said companies should not be allowed to refuse service to gays and lesbians. >> so, let's get to pierre noms, live at the court tonight. and pierre, many legal scholars saying the court didn't fully resol

that language gave the couple, charlie craig and david mullan, some comfort. >> i think the decision in our case is so specific that i don't think it will have a larger effect on the movement. >> glor: it's a complicated, nuanced decision. you say this may only apply to this particular baker. why is that? >> reporter: the court flat-out said in it's decision the broader issue has to be explored in future cases. but you can also look at what individual justices said in their separate opinions. two liberal justices who joined the majority opinion, rose separately to say they thought state anti-discrimination laws generally prohibit these kind of religious objection, but two conservative justices wrote separately to say they thought these kind of religious objections were valid. all of this is to say this is not the final word. there are other cases on the horizon. >> glor: our supreme court expert jan crawford, thanks. the supreme court has never been asked to weigh in on whether a president may use constitutional power to grant pardons to him or herself, but the current president weig

but that couple, charlie craig andave mullens say they have no regret. >> we do feel we've raised a lot of awareness for people on discrimination against lgbt people in businesses open to the public. >> reporter: but the 7-2 decision did not address the biggest question in the case, whether businesses can refuse to serve people based on their sexual orientation. the court found only that tack phillips, whose lawyer is calling this a victory. >>plll strongly have convictions about that they must obey god, they're going to keep doing what they're doing and their freedom is at stake. >> reporter: the court acknowledged the fight isn't justice anthony kennedy writing for the majority said thesetespuust shall resolved with tolerance without undue disrespect to sincere religious beliefs and without subjecting gay persons to gn >> i think the justices are sending a signal to the country and that is be reasonable. respect the rights of gay couples, but also respect people's religious views. >> r weporteh n set, this controversial issue now rests with future cases. washgton.johnson, nbc news, >

charlie craig and david mullins some comfort. >> i think the decision in our case is so specific.t i don't think it will half a larger effect on the movement. >> president trump is claiming he has the absolute right to pardon himself though he says he has done noth wrong. the president made a controversial assertion as he launched new attacks against the special counsel russia investigation. here's paula reid. >> reporter: the president tweeted while he has no plans to pardon himself. he could if he wanted to. i have the absolute right to pardon myself, but why would i do that when i have done nothing wrong? he also continued his attacks on the legitimacy of the special counsel. tweeting that robert mueller's appointment is totally unconstitutional. the president's tweets echo comments from personal attorney, rudy giuliani sunday. >> there is nothing that limits the presidential power of pardon from a federal crime. >> giuliani acknowledged the question whether the president can pardon himself is less >> the president of the united states pardoning himself would just unthinkable a

. >> the couple at the center of the case, charlie craig and dave mullins say the decision means ourht against discrimination and unfair treatment will continue. we will continue fighting until no one does. justice ginsburg's dissent found it irrelevant that phillips sold cakes and cookies to gay and lesbian customers despite the fact he wocreate custom wedding cakes for the matting, qu see no reason the comments of one or 2 commissioners should be taken to overcome phillips refusal to sell a wedding cake to craig and mullins. in washington, shannon bream, fox news. jack phillips has been called a bigot but says he was standing up for his religious beliefs, political editor@townhall.com who came out as a gay conservative christian says tolerance needs to come from both sides. >> justice kennedy during oral arguments was making the case that tolerance is a 2-way street and then a modern pluralistic american society we need to figure out as a culture how we can protect people's rights on both ends of this and if there was rampant discrimination about cakes, flowers and photographers ma

. >> the couple at the center of the case, charlie craig and dave mueller say, quote, the decision meansht against discrimination and unfair treatment will continue. we will continue fighting until no one does. justice ginsburg's defense joined by justice sonja said mayor found it irrelevant he sold cakes togetherpin customers despite the fact he would not create custom wedding 2 commissioners should be taken to overcome philip's mueller. >> two big decisions dealing with two hot button issues, religious freedom and abortions for underage teens in the us illegally. and the senior advisor of the american unity fund and tony council, welcome to you both. obviously justice kennedy pointed back to those comments by commissioner the lowest level, the first to look at this case likening the baker's religious conviction to people who supported slavery or nazis. that was enough to say we won't get to the merits of this case but on that basis he should never have been subjected to >> that is out of bounds and the commissioner is no longer even on the colorado civil rights commission. those were h

. >> the couple at the center of the case, charlie craig, and dave mullens say "today's decision means our fight against discrimination and unfair treatment will continue. we will continue fighting until no one does." and justice ginsberg's descent she found it irrelevant that phillips sold cakes and cookies to gay and lesbian cookies adding, i see no reason why the comments of one or two commissioners should be taken to overcome phillips refusal to sell a wedding cake to craig and mullens. >> both sides agreed to's opinion did not settle the underlying issues. later this week the justices will privately consider whether or not to hear the case of a washington state florist who declined when a long time customer of hers asked her to do flowers for his same sex ceremony. we'll see. lou back to you. lou: and it goes on, shannon bre em, thank you very much. the u.s. supreme cou tod soid with the trump adminitration in a critical case , the high court, unanimous ly rejected a lower court decision that allowed an illegal immigrant teen to receive an abortion last year. the stock market toda

when charlie craig and david mullens were denied the cake, they filed the plate with the colorado civilmmission and they ruled in they favor. it was the way that the baker was treated that turned the case. anthony kennedy writing some of the commissioners at the commission's formal public hearings endorsed the view that religious beliefs cannot legitimately be carried into the public sphere. they characterized it as rhetorical and compared the invocation of his religious beliefs to slavery and the holocaust. >> we're excited that the supreme court has decided to protect the religious freedoms for everybody. justice kennedy's opinion can be summed up as tolerance is a two-way street. >> the reason we pursued this, we don't want other couples to go through the same thing. it's not just about us. it's about our community as a whole. >> so shep, a call after the ruling, the aclu held with the couple. the aclu holds because the opinion is so specific to the bad behavior of the commission that tomorrow a same-sex couple could walk into this same bakery, ask the same baker for a cake be, denie

the plaintiffs, charlie craig and david mullins, said their fight against discrimination will continueice of david mullins / plaintiff"we brought this case because no one should have to face the shame, embarrassment and humiliation of being told we don't serve your kind here that we faced and we will continue fighting until no one does."mark leno, san francisco mayoral candidate "imagine if this court had ruled that a cake shop or any other business serving the public could say i won't do business with you because you're a jew, i won't do business with you because you're chinese, or black, or latino or you're a woman. get out of my shop. we would be appalled."we also asked leno if he was ready for election day. he said he's ready for it to come to an end.in sanfrancisco michelle kingston kron 4 news (pam) tomorrow's california primary election is causing some unwanted drama and concern -- especially for democrats. south bay congresswoman zoe lofgren is one of them. she is running for re-election unopposed .... but she is concerned about the 'top two' open primary system... in some dist

the plaintiffs, charlie craig and david mullins, said their fight against discrimination will continue / plaintiff"we brought this case because no one should have to face the shame, embarrassment and humiliation of being told we don't serve your kind here that we faced and we will continue fighting until no one does."mark leno, san francisco mayoral candidate "imagine if this court had ruled that a cake shop or any other business serving the public could say i won't do business with you because you're a jew, i won't do business with you because you're chinese, or black, or latino or you're a woman. get out of my shop. we would be appalled."we also asked leno if he was election day. he said he's ready for it to come to an end.in sanfrancisco michelle kingston kron 4 news (ken) students are the targets of yet r violent threat at an east bay middle school. the threat was made using social media. that actually helped police track down the middle school student accused of making the threat... kron4's haaziq madyun shows us where it happened. sot

the plaintiffs, charlie craig and david mullins, said their fight against discrimination will continue. voice of david mullins / plaintiff"we brought this case because no one should have to face the shame, embarrassment and humiliation of being told we don't serve your kind here."mark leno, san francisco mayoral candidate "imagine if this court had ruled that a cake shop or any other business serving the public could say i won't do business with you because you're a jew, i won't do business with you because youre chinese, or black, or latino or you're a woman. get out of my shop. we would be appalled." ((michelle)) ((michelle))i asked leno if he was ready for tomorrow ... he said he is very ready -- especially for the end of the day once the votes are in.live in the newsroom michelle kingston kron 4 news coming up at eight.. a terrifying scene in guatemala .... after a volcanic eruption sends people running for their lives. plus...the cases of whooping cough climb in one bay area community.the message from the health department parents need to know about tonight.but first.. dramatic im

commission finding he violated laws against discrimination by refusing to paying a wedding cake for charlie craig 2012. >> we don't want other couples to go through the same thing, so it's not just about us. >> on monday justices voted 7-2 in favor of the baker deciding he wasn't given a fair hearing and writing the state of colorado's ruling exhibited religious hostility against him. coming up at 7:00 a.m., we'll have more on the reaction to that decision. with "gma" 1st look i'm eva pilgrim, abc news, new york. >>> a 13-year-old student facing charges of planning a school shooting in pleasant hill. fbi reported police friday regarding threat against valley view middle school. investigators found social media message between two students threatening a mass shooting on the last day of school. pleasant hill police served search warrant at the home in martinez where they seized several firearms. the 13-year-old suspect arrested and booked into contra costa juvenile hall for terrorist threats. pleasant hill police asking anyone with informationononononn incident to inform them. >>> our media partner

. >> nawaz: six years ago, when charlie craig and david mullins were planning their wedding, they visited phillips' cake shop. >> as soon as we sat down with the owner, he asked who the cake was for and we told him it was for us. >> so, i'm thinking how can i politely tell these guys that's i event i can't participa i said we can make them a birthday cake, cookies, brownies, i'll sell you anything it's just an event i can't create a cake for. >> when we left the bakery we cried together, you know, it was really emotional. it was really sad. >> nawaz: last year, phiips told the newshour that designing the wedding cake would have violated his religious beliefwe that marriage en a man d a woman. >> all i'm trying to do is use a , use my craft to create cakes to help people celebrate special occasions in their life. i never turn anybody away. just events that i turn away. >> nawaz: but the couple claimed the baker discriminated againstb thed on their sexual orientation. >> he turned us away because who we are and because of who we love. >> nawaz: mullins and craig brought their comaint to the

. >> charlie craig and david mullens, the couple who filed the complaint with the colorado civil rightsion after phillips refused to make a cake to celebrate their wedding say they are disappointed but because the decision was so narrowly focused believe the issue is not over. >> our understanding if another same-sex couple comes in the shop he still has to serve them like he would serve anybody else. >> writing for majority, justice kennedy targeted the behavior of the colorado civil rights commission for showing antireligious bias against phillips' sincerely held christian beliefs. it did not turn on the colorado antidiscrimination law. >> i am sure that those that are unhappy with the outcome and won't to push thee will feel emboldened. i'm also sure those looking for a license to discriminate will feel emboldened. >> jon, listen to this. the judge also explained let's say the baker starts making wedding ces tomrow. if a same-sex couple goes in his bakery, is turned away, they can start the same process all over again. and if the civil rights commission behaves itself, essentially, a

and you have like a really weird attitude towards food, in general. >> charlie: yeah. >> chef craig: ffee. [ laughter ] >> anthony: or all of those. we're going to eat well. charlie leduff may have a pulitzer prize, but his appreciation of fine food and dining is shall we say -- charlie: is that cheese? >> anthony: lacking. simply put, he's a philistine. warm egg yolk with a generous helping of smelt roe on top. egg with eggs? yes, please. leduff scarfs his like he's at ruby tuesdays. you've got all these kids flooding into detroit. >> charlie: which is good. >> anthony: right? how's that going to play out? will there be political leadership in place to manage that fairly? >> charlie: it will be fine! everybody likes a nice, little thing in an eggshell with caviar on top! everybody. it's just all about keeping cool. >> anthony: no, it won't be fine, dude. it will not be fine if, if there's not political leadership. it will not. >> charlie: well, you know, sometimes political leadership grows up out of what's happening, and we don't have any political leadership and this is happening.

. >> the couple at the center of the caves, charlie craig and dave mullins, say, "today's decision meansur fight against discrimination and unfair treatment will continue. we will continue fighting until no one does." and justice ginsburg's dissent, joined by justice sotomayor, she found it irrelevant that phillips sold cakes and cookies to gay and lesbian customers, adding, "i see no reason by the comments of one or two commissioners could should be taken to overcome phillips refusal to sell a wedding cake." >> shannon: took a big decisions dealing with two hot button issues, religious freedom, and abortion for underaged teens in the u.s. illegally. let's talk about the political impact with tyler deaton, senior advisor of the american unity fund and tony perkins, president of the family research council. gentlemen, welcome to you both. >> thank you. >> shannon: obviously, justice kennedy pointed back to those comments by commissioner at the lowest level who was the first to look at this case. likening the bacon or don mike baker's religious convictions to people who supported slavery o

. >> we had charlie craig and dave mullens on. we had them booked for an interview.ently you told us that they're not in a place to discuss this yet. how are they -- what does that mean and how are they taking the ruling? >> well, it's deeply disappointing to know that the cake shop received what appears to be a victory today for both our clients and for charlie's mom, debbie, who was with them there that day who had been in town and was there to help them celebrity their cake. that's understandably heartbreaking. it is devastating to know that the court has allowed this bakery to continue to press its anti-plth vie anti-lgbt views. but at the same time there is a lot to really celebrate in today's opinion. the court has repeatedly recognized over the years discrimination can and should be discussed when it comes to race and gender, and justice kennedy said it is the same thing it comes to the lgbt community. >> you don't see this as a broader wbroad -- you see this as a broader win for the lgbtq community than a loss. >> we do. >> thank you very much. rhea tobacco o

this ce dates back to 2012 when baker told david mullins and charlie craig that he would not pick the mechanic to celebrate their wedding due to his religious beliefs that did not support same-sex marriage. the couple filed a complaint with the colorado civil rights

a cake shop owner, lake wood baker jack philips was asked to make a cake for this couple charlie craig david mullins. he declined. he basically said doing so would go against his christianity, his religious beliefs that marriage is just between a man and a wab. so this case escalated all the way to the supreme court and we now have that decision today that danny, as you noted, is narrow. that's something that's been noted by nbc justice correspondent pete williams who's joining us live again now outside the court. we were just having a conversation with our legal analyst who said this was not a particular surprise given how oral arguments seem to have gone. >> reporter: it was a 7-2 ruling. only justices ginsberg and soto mayo dissented from the court's holding here. they've dodged the larger question. what he's talking about is that the oral argument there was a question from justice kennedy who wrote the opinion here about a comment made by a member of the colorado human rights mmison. co iofhose states thats have has that has hey human rights law and on that basis they said the bake

this ce dates back to 2012 when baker told david mullins and charlie craig that he would not pick the mechanic to celebrate their wedding due to his religious beliefs that did not support same-sex marriage. the couple filed a complaint with the colorado civil rights commission. the supreme court decision reversed the ruling of the colorado court of appeals. google you're a argument this morning, masterpiece cake shop versus colorado civil rights commission. >> chief justice and may it please the court, the first amendment prohibits the government from fopeople to express messages that violate their religious connections. yes a commission requires mr. phillips to do just that ordering him to sketch, sculpt and hand paint cakes that celebrate a marriagviolation ofs conviction. to celebrate a marriage regardless of his religious conviction. shelf -- >> in the context of a premade cake, that is not a premade speech. he is happy to sell anything made in his store. >> did he not express himself when he made it? >> yes. and the p is important to the free speech doctrine and how it applies. a

the plaintiffs, charlie craig and david mullins, said their fight against discrimination will continuevoice of david mullins / plaintiff, masterpiece cakeshop v. colorado civil rights commission: we brought this case because no one should have to face the shame, embarrassment and humiliation of being told we don't serve your kind here that we faced and we will continue fighting until no one does. justice kennedy pointed out that future cases might end up with a different ruling. noting that these disputes must be resolved without disrespecting religious beliefs, while also protecting the constitutional rights of same couples.camila bernal, kron4 news. (vicki) taking a live look outside-- overlooking downtown san fro. (catheri) time now to check on our weather... with chief meteorologist lawrence karnow. lawrence karnow: we had a mix of clouds and sunshine with cooler temperatures. highs today were in 70s and 80s inland with 50s and 60s at the coast. after a hot start to the weekend, temperatures will be cooling down over the next couple of days. on the satellite image you can see a cou

. >> reporter: charlie craig says they left the cake shop in 2012 devastated. >> i was shocked.either one of us had ever been treated this way before at a business. >> reporter: the colorado civil rights commission found that phillips had violated state laws against discrimination, but the supreme court took issue with commissioner describing phillips' beliefs as irrational. gay rights activists taking comfort in a limited decision. >> it was a very narrow decision that only applies to the unique facts of this particular case. in no way did the supreme court undermine our nation's civil rights laws. >> reporter: the nation's views on same-sex marriage evolving. the most recent abc news poll that found 81% of americans said companies should not be allowed to refuse service to gays and lesbians. the fundamental issue is left unresolved. and there's a case involving a florist refusing service to a same-sex couple that the supreme court could decide to take up as soon as next fall. pierre thomas at the supreme court. >>> now to the first sighting of melania trump in nearly a month.

the couple are charlie craig and david mullens.out right now. >> bill: the ruling is a 59-page decision and you will need a little time tgo through that. i don't think it will happen at the moment but trying to find at the moment how the justices broke down in a case like this, which could prove significant. a lot of observers on the right and left are waiting to see how a court under neil gorsuch and under the trump administration would rule in a case like this. they rule narrowly in favor of the colorado baker who would not bake that cake. >> sandra: the supreme court ruled 7-2 that colorado's actions violated the free exercise clause. the opinion as i just stated was written by justice kennedy. justices ginsberg and -- it's a 5-year-old legal battle. we've been following it for quite some time. >> bill: the customers were carly craig and david mullens and represented, many thought, a bit of a test between the constitution's guarantees to free speech and religion that prohibited discrimination against the lgbt community. phillips

by now the court ruled in favor of a bakery that had refused to save a cake to dave mullens and charlie craig for their wedding reception simply because they're a same-sex couple. and they did so because of the history of the way the civil rights commission had handled this complaint. at the offset, pete williams characterized this as a ticket good for one ride only, and that's a helpful way of understanding how narrow the ruling it is. in the process of doing this, the court has concerns about what the man did, but it said as a general matter, with an objective, it doesn't me you can violate it, and that's true in the context of antidiscrimination laws and that's true in the context of antidiscrimination laws of people who protect people who are lgbt. they still have to follow the norm that a business open to the public has to serve everyone. this really is a ticket for one complaint only. so what was the problem in the process? this is where i think many commentators have drawn comparisons to the court's opinion and muslim ban case because essentially the core piece of evidence the court re

commission finding he violated state laws against discrimination by refusing to bake a wedding cake for charlie craignd david mullen in 2012. >> we don't want other couples to go through this. it's about our community as a whole, not just us. >> reporter: the justices voted 7-2 monday in favor of the baker deciding that he wasn't given a fair hearing and writing the scene of colorado's ruling exhibited religious hostility against him. >> there is a concurrence by justice kagan ane breyerthat sa commission had proceeded differently, it still could have ruled in favor of the same-sakes couple. >> reporter: online the opposition furious as many try to analyze the court's thinking. one writing, is scotus subtly suggesting the first amendment trumps lgbtq rights? this morning, craig and mullen say they are still sorting through their emotions. >> just getting a national dialogue and helping change the national public opinion about civil rights laws is a big win for us. >> reporter: just to be clear the supreme court did not rule the cake shop had the right to refuse service to a gay couple but the ruling

i'll craig melvin. charlie he shot his father to save his mother, but investigators were finding flaws in that story. the ivy league student had been arrested and was facing second degree murder charges. was this an intentional killing, or justifiable homicide? here, again, is dennis murphy with "house of secrets." >>> aern anna was in a state of disbelief when she learned charlie tan had been arrested where. >> did you have a chance to talk to charlie himself? >> he called me on the phone, actually, from jail. i talked to him a couple of times. >> anna didn't sit around. she was going to do whatever she could to defend her friend because she knew there was no way charlie did anything wrong. >> you did something remarkable, anna, and that is you pulled together a whole community behind charlie. >> yeah. >> anna started a defense fund support page for charlie. >> it just, like, spread like crazy. i had no clue what was going to happen. >> you just threw it out there. >> i put up the page and people i hadn't even