SANTA ANA, Calif. — A lawsuit has been filed in Southern California by two women claiming they were defrauded out of wages and expenses while canvassing on behalf of Elon Musk’s political action committee, America Pac. The women were engaged in efforts to mobilize voters for Representative Michelle Steel, a Republican running in a tightly contested district in Orange County.
The legal challenge accuses America Pac, which has invested over $100 million into this year’s election campaigns, of committing “willful violations of the California labor code” by allegedly underpaying the plaintiffs and denying their expense reimbursements.
According to the plaintiffs, Tamiko Anderson and Patricia Kelly, they were recruited with the expectation of earning an hourly rate of approximately $25. However, they claim that the payment arrangement unexpectedly changed to a per-house visit basis, contrary to initial agreements. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that the women were not compensated for work-related out-of-pocket expenses such as the use of personal cellphones required to monitor and report their canvassing progress.
Despite these allegations, the Steel campaign has distanced itself from the controversy, with a spokesperson stating that these individuals were never directly employed by or associated with Steel’s re-election efforts. This highlights the often complex and legally distant relationships between candidates’ campaigns and independent political action committees like Musk’s.
The lawsuit names several defendants, including Liberty Staffing Services, the Blair Group, and the campaign of Representative Steel, alongside America Pac. The plaintiffs’ attorney, Larry Lee, noted the absence of a formalized contract, relying instead on a basic written statement of expected wages.
These types of employment lawsuits, even when initially lack detailed claims, are typical and can be elaborated upon as cases progress, according to Ryan Hancock, a national labor lawyer based in Philadelphia. He asserts that this lawsuit seems to be a legitimate claim regarding compensation disputes that are enforceable under current labor laws.
This legal action surfaces amidst a broader scrutiny of Musk’s canvassing efforts. Reports have suggested operational irregularities, including claims in Arizona and Nevada where canvassers possibly skipped significant amounts of their designated routes. Furthermore, in Michigan, canvassers claimed they were unaware of the exact political campaign they were hired for until after their commitments were made.
This lawsuit emerges just days before the November 5 election, adding a layer of complexity and urgency to the unfolding narrative around electoral canvassing practices, particularly those financed by high-profile political actions committees.
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