TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) 鈥� Florida's new attorney general filed a federal court lawsuit against Target on Thursday, claiming the discount store chain 鈥渕isled investors鈥� by promoting initiatives that and hurt sales, ultimately costing shareholders.
Before it its DEI efforts last month, Target was a corporate advocate for the rights of Black and LGBTQ+ people. The retailer's decision in 2023 to roll out LGBTQ+ merchandise in honor of Pride month and sparked confrontations in some stores.
In the lawsuit filed in Fort Myers, Florida, Attorney General James Uthmeier argued that Target violated the Securities Exchange Act by failing to disclose "the known risks鈥� of its DEI and Pride month initiatives.
鈥淐orporations that push radical leftist ideology at the expense of financial returns jeopardize the retirement security of Florida鈥檚 first responders and teachers," Uthmeier said in a statement. 鈥淢y office will stridently pursue corporate reform so that companies get back to the business of doing business 鈥� not offensive political theatre.鈥�
Uthmeier, who was by Republican Gov. this week, has pledged to use the state's legal muster to 鈥渃hampion an America-first agenda鈥� and challenge what he called 鈥渢he left.鈥�
Target did not respond to a request for comment.
Target announced in late January that it planned to discontinue a program aimed at better serving Black employees, Black shoppers and Black-owned businesses. The ushered in a series of DEI initiatives following the in 2020.
Since then, diversity, equity and inclusion policies have come under attack from conservative activists and . Walmart and a number of also have scrapped or reduced their DEI commitments.
Earlier this month, Missouri's attorney general sued Starbucks over its diversity policies, claiming the coffee chain engaged in 鈥渟ystemic racial, sexual, and sexual orientation discrimination.鈥� The Seattle-based company has called the claims 鈥渋naccurate.鈥�
___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Kate Payne, The Associated Press
