A Black Trump supporter, Carl Baxter, has filed a lawsuit against the conservative organization Americans for Prosperity (AFP) for alleged racial discrimination, including being called an enslaved person, and for withholding wages during his brief employment.
Baxter claims that AFP, a right-wing group founded by conservative businessmen Charles and David Koch, subjected him to discriminatory treatment and wage theft during his 12-day tenure as a canvasser.
Hired in June 2023, Baxter was terminated shortly after raising concerns about unpaid wages and mileage reimbursements.
The legal filing accuses AFP of offering Baxter a $500 bribe to uncover damaging information on Cape Coral council member Patty Cummings, an ally of former President Donald Trump.
Baxter, a staunch Trump supporter, refused the bribe, which allegedly led to increased tension with his employer.
The lawsuit claims AFP aimed to undermine Trump’s bid for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential primaries, having previously supported other GOP candidates like Nikki Haley.
The most shocking allegation involves a conversation between Baxter and AFP Grassroots Engagement Director Roxanne Buckels.
Baxter asserts that during a dispute over unpaid wages, Buckels sarcastically referred to him as a “slave” and demanded that he confirm it, stating:
“At least you are working as a slave… but at least you are getting paid; many slaves today do get paid, many used to never get paid. Are you a slave?”
Following this incident, Baxter reported his concerns, and was swiftly terminated by a supervisor, both of whom are white. The lawsuit further alleges that Baxter’s white colleagues did not face similar wage issues.
AFP responded to the lawsuit by stating:
“While we do not comment on current litigation, we take all allegations of violations of the law extremely seriously and will fully investigate those made in this complaint.”
Baxter is seeking exemplary, punitive, and compensatory damages for the alleged racial discrimination, retaliation, and wage theft he experienced.
According to the lawsuit, he has yet to receive the wages owed to him.
