TALHASSEE – Florida’s new Attorney General filed a federal lawsuit against Target on Thursday, with discount store chains fostering diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that drive backlash and undermine sales, ultimately at the expense of shareholders By doing so, he claimed “the wrong investor.”
Last month, before slashing DEI efforts, Target was long considered a corporate advocate for the rights of black and LGBTQ+ people. The 2023 retailer’s decision to roll out LGBTQ+ products in honor of Pride Month has infuriated some shoppers and sparked conflict in some stores.
In a lawsuit filed at Fort Myers, Attorney General James Usmier alleged that Target violated the Stock Exchange Act by failing to disclose “known risks” of the DEI and Pride Month initiative.
“Companies that promote radical left-wing ideology at the expense of financial interests put the retirement security of Florida’s first responders and teachers at risk,” Usmeyer said in a statement. “My office will thrust corporate reform so that businesses return to business doing business rather than offensive political theatre.”
Usmeyer, who was appointed attorney general by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis this week, has pledged to use the state’s legal convening to challenge what he called “America’s first agenda and left.”
A Target spokesperson said Thursday that the company has not made a public response to the Florida lawsuit.
Target announced in late January that it plans to cancel programs aimed at heading towards black employees, black shoppers and black-owned businesses. The Minneapolis-based retailer has guided a series of DEI initiatives after George Floyd was murdered in 2020.
Since then, diversity, equity and comprehensive policies have been under attack from conservative activists and the White House. Walmart and many other prominent American brands have also abolished or reduced DEI’s commitments.
Earlier this month, the Missouri Attorney General sued Starbucks about its diversity policy, claiming that the coffee chain is engaged in “systematic racial, sexual and sexual orientation discrimination.” The Seattle-based company calls the claim “inaccurate.”
Kate Payne, Associated Press/US report
Kate Payne is a legion of the Associated Press/America Statehouse News Initiative report. Report for America is a non-profit, national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on infiltrated issues.
