Anti-gay pastor ordered to pay rights group

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ordered a conservative pastor to pay $87,000 in legal fees to a gay rights group he accused of defaming him. Grant Storms of the Reformer Ministries in Marrero, La., claimed in the lawsuit that Action Wisconsin defamed him by saying remarks he made at a 2003 anti-gay conference in Milwaukee advocated the murder of gays. Storms was one of several speakers at the "International Conference on Homo-Fascism," a gathering of people who railed against gays. Action Wisconsin obtained an audio recording of the conference and publicized remarks that the group said incited violence and hatred. In his speech, Storms said gay rights' opponents should "start taking it to the streets." He mimicked gun fire: "Boom, boom, boom, boom. There's twenty! Ca-ching," according to a transcript. After Action Wisconsin widely distributed the tape Storms sued the group claiming it had defamed him by suggesting he was advocating murdering gays. In 2006 Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Patricia McMahon said the group's interpretation of the remarks was reasonable and the lawsuit lacked merit from the day it was filed. McMahon awarded Action Wisconsin $87,000 in legal fees. Following the verdict called the judge "liberal" and "insane," and filed an immediate appeal. The appeals court reversed the ruling and Action Wisconsin took the case to the state Supreme Court. In a 4-3 ruling the high court overturned the appellate ruling, allowing the original decision to stand. In the majority decision the court said that Storms should have known the lawsuit was frivolous.