A new ad released by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) claims that Angie Craig’s former employer was sued for more than $3 million in a racial-bias lawsuit.
“Her companies have had a long history of lawsuits and a culture of corruption, falsify sales and financial statements to defraud investors, discriminating against minorities in the hiring process, and caught bribing foreign officials,” the Wednesday ad claims.
NRCC Releases New MN-02 TV Ad: "Corrupt Craig"https://t.co/uDFeDbzvdt
— NRCC (@NRCC) September 12, 2018
According to the Memphis Daily News, Smith & Nephew Inc. agreed to settle for $3.5 million in 2006 after facing multiple allegations that the company discriminated against African Americans in the hiring process. Around the time of the allegations, Craig was serving in London as director of corporate affairs and then as vice president of U.S. investor and media relations for the Memphis-based medical manufacturing company.
Court filings from the lawsuit allege that African Americans were denied employment and promotions at the company, resulting in up to $7,000 in financial compensation for each party wronged. Although the company continued to dispute details of the lawsuit, it did agree to establish an internal diversity council, provide education for its employees on its non-discrimination policy, and create a standardized interview process.
“The terms of this agreement represent a compromise of disputed claims and reflect the parties’ recognition that litigation of these claims would burden all concerned and require a major commitment of time, resources, and money,” a motion filed by the company’s attorneys and 10 plaintiffs stated at the time.
NRCC’s ad concludes by suggesting that Craig puts “profits above people,” saying she “simply can’t be trusted in Congress.”
Craig had yet to respond to the ad by the time of publication, though she has released several ads of her own. She will face off against Rep. Jason Lewis (R-MN-02) for Minnesota’s Second Congressional District in a 2016 rematch.
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
