A longtime employee of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has accused its leaders of racial discrimination after they fired him last month.
Keith Carter, who joined the NRSC in 1995, has charged Republican officials with creating a hostile environment for the two African-American employees who worked at the committee.
Carter, who is black, said he was referred to as “boy” and forced to clean up the feces of dogs white employees had brought to work.
He filed a lawsuit in D.C. Superior Court on Monday.
Brian Walsh, a spokesman for the NRSC, disputed the charges.
“This is an unfortunate action taken by a disgruntled former employee,” said Walsh. “The suit is meritless, and we look forward to its resolution.”
Walsh declined to comment on the specific allegations of the 11-page complaint because the suit is pending.
In his lawsuit, Carter names three senior NRSC officials: Executive Director Rob Jesmer, Chief Counsel Sean Cairncross and Chief Financial Officer Jay Banning.
The law firm Alderman, Devorsetz & Hora is representing the plaintiff.
Carter, who was hired as a building engineer, claims he was a respected NRSC staff member for nearly 14 years. He was given the duties of building manager of the committee’s headquarters and often invited to participate in management meetings.
Carter says that changed in 2009.
“In March 2009, Mr. Carter’s duties and the manner in which he was treated changed dramatically,” his complaint states.
He said he was excluded from regular management meetings, stripped of his supervisory responsibility and ordered to perform menial tasks.
The complaint alleges that senior GOP staff referred to Carter and another African-American employee — the only two black members of the staff — as “boys,” even though they were both older than 40.
Carter claims that when one Republican official asked him and his co-worker to do a job, he would often say: “Boys, we need you to … “
Click here to continue reading.
SOURCE: The Hill
