A Black Trump supporter has sued Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a right-wing organization, for alleged discrimination, including calling the man an enslaved person.
The accuser, Carl Baxter, claims that the politically conservative group allegedly withheld wages and miles reimbursement that he earned during his 12-day employment as a canvasser. According to The Independent, Baxter was hired in June 2023 before being terminated after complaining about the wages.
Established by conservative businessman Charles and David Koch in 2024, the AFP supported efforts to thwart Trump’s presidential campaign, such as previously backing former GOP candidate hopeful Nikki Haley. Baxter, a diehard fan of Donald Trump, first ran into trouble with his former employer for refusing a bribe to find dirt that could derail Trump’s reelection.
“Early in Plaintiff’s tenure, AFP’s Deputy Director [of] Grassroots… met Plaintiff at the Oasis restaurant in downtown Ft. Myers and offered Plaintiff $500 in bribe money to provide ‘dirt’ on Cape Coral council member Patty Cummings,” claimed the legal filing. “Plaintiff declined. AFP’s goal was to stop President Donald J. Trump from winning the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential primaries and, locally, to oppose politicians who support President Trump.”
Another issue regarding inaccurate wages led to a phone call with AFP Grassroots Engagement Director Roxanne Buckels. In the conversation, Buckels allegedly called Baxter a slave.
The lawsuit detailed, “then proceeded to call [him] a ‘slave’ and demanded that he confirm he is a ‘slave,’ stating as follows: ‘I know you are doing the work, and I can see the doors that you are hitting on my iPad on my side. At least you are working as a slave (sarcastically), but at least you are getting paid; many slaves today do get paid, many used to never get paid. Are you a slave?’”
However, after Baxter relayed his concerns about the statement, a supervisor swiftly terminated him. Both Buckels and the supervisor identify as white.
The AFP responded to the news outlet after it revealed the lawsuit.
“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,” explained an AFP spokesperson.
According to
the filing, Baxter has yet to receive the overdue wages. However, he declared his white colleagues never faced any payment issues. While accusing AFP of retaliation and wage theft, he also seeks exemplary, punitive, and compensatory damages for the experience he endured.RELATED CONTENT: Pastor Lorenzo Sewell Says He’s ‘Humbled’ Donald Trump Visited ‘The Hood’ For Blacks For Trump Rally