(Trends Wide) — The Christian web designer from Colorado who wanted to turn away LGBTQ clients and who just won her case in the US Supreme Court, claimed in court documents that a man inquired about her services for a gay wedding.
However, the man claims he never contacted Lorie Smith, the designer who argued in the high court that she should not be forced to create same-sex wedding websites because of her religious objections. In fact, the man points out that he is heterosexual and that he is married to a woman.
The man was identified as “Stewart” in court documents, which say he solicited graphic designs for invitations and other materials for a same-sex wedding with his fiancé, Mike. Trends Wide contacted Stewart through the information contained in the dossier. He asked that his last name not be used.
In an interview with Trends Wide on Friday, Stewart said he “did not apply” to Smith’s company, 303 Creative, and is a “man happily married to one woman for 15 years.”
“I don’t know Mike,” Stewart said. “I’ve never asked anyone to design a website for me, so it’s all very strange. I certainly didn’t contact her, and whatever information is in that request, it’s false,” he added.
Stewart, who previously worked for Trends Wide, said he is a web designer himself, and that “it would make zero sense to hire a web designer when I can do it myself.”
Stewart also that he was unaware that his information was part of the court file until the media outlet The New Republic contacted him on Wednesday.
“It is concerning that no one associated with this case in the last six years has thought to call, email or text me to try to corroborate that communication in any way,” he said. And he added: “I don’t think that’s necessarily a tipping point in this case, but at the very least… a case of this magnitude should be substantiated, should be proven at some point.”
Trends Wide has contacted Smith for comment. Kellie Fiedorek, senior attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented Smith, said in a statement that the designer “does not do background checks on incoming applications to determine if the person submitting them is genuine.”
“Whether Lorie received a legitimate request or someone lied to her is irrelevant,” Fiedorek said. “No one should have to wait to be punished by the government to challenge an unfair law.”
“In addition, Lorie has received other marriage requests and has not been able to respond to any of them because it put her at risk of being penalized for violating unfair Colorado law,” Fiedorek said, referring to a state anti-discrimination law.
Stewart called Friday’s Supreme Court decision “disgraceful” and said that “it appears that the whole case has been concocted in some way to achieve a specific result.”
