A well-known Black Trump supporter from Lee County, claims he was called a "slave" by a Republican group.
Carl Baxter, the president of the Republican Club of North and East Fort Myers, is suing Americans for Prosperity over the alleged discrimination.
According to the lawsuit, Baxter was getting paid by AFP for canvassing neighborhoods and talking to voters. Twelve days into the job, Baxter says he complained to his supervisor about not being properly compensated for the work he was putting in. Baxter's lawsuit says on the call with his supervisor when she stated: " 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?’”
The lawsuit also claims another member of the organization, AFP’s deputy director of grassroots, tried to bribe Baxter during a meeting at the Oasis restaurant in downtown Fort Myers. The suit alleges Baxter declined the money and that the AFP member's request was "$500 in bribe money to provide ‘dirt’ on Cape Coral councilmember, Patty Cummings."
The president of Lee County's NAACP has known Baxter for around 10 years. He tells us the allegations in the suit are offensive.
"He’s not known as a reactionary person, then I would think that the lawsuit has merit," said James Muwakkil, the president of the NAACP Lee County branch. "The surprise is that we’re still having to fight these battles that should’ve been won way back when the Civil War ended."
NBC2 talked to Elaine Green, on the Lee County Republican Executive Committee. She says Americans For Prosperity has been taken over and the group isn't what it used to be.
"My husband and I used to make big donations to Americans for Prosperity," said Green. "They are the original open borders, people in Chamber of Commerce, everything opposite of what we want... Less government less intrusion."
The members of AFP mentioned in the lawsuit said they're not allowed to comment and the organization hasn't answered our calls or emails about the allegations. Baxter was in a meeting on Wednesday. Right now, we are waiting for a statement from his lawyer.