Anti-LGBTQ+ hate group sued for same-sex sexual harrassment

The American Family Association (AFA) – the far-right, Bible-based advocacy organization founded by anti-LGBTQ+ crusader Donald Wildmon – is being sued by a former employee who was fired after alleging sexual harassment by another male staffer.

Robert Chambers, a former vice president of policy and legislative affairs for AFA from 2015 to 2022, alleges that former colleague, Ron Cook, made repeated sexual advances toward him beginning in January of last year, including grabbing Chambers’ face and making comments about masturbation.

Related:

Pastor freaks out & destroys Barbie Dream House with Bible taped to a bat

We’re not sure God would approve…

“I see you’re really good with that wrist action,” the complaint alleges Cook told Chambers. “You’d really like me to take you and get a hold of you.”

Stay connected to your community

Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter.

Daily

Weekly

Good News

Chambers claims the harassment went on for months and put the plaintiff in fear of sexual abuse at any time, on and off the job.

“During this time, Plaintiff continued to suffer increasing discomfort in the workplace due to Defendant Cook’s ongoing engagement in verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature targeted at Plaintiff, and the threat that it could happen at any time, inside or outside the office building,” according to the complaint.

The lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi names Cook along with AFA President Tim Wildmon and several Wildmon family members, among others. 

Donald Wildmon stepped down as chairman of the family-run organization in 2010.

AFA denies the charges.

“Since 1977, our ministry has continued to maintain the highest standards of morality and personal conduct for our staff and leadership,” Steve Crampton, AFA’s assistant general counsel, told Religion News Service. “The claims made against our organization by a disgruntled former employee are unfounded gross mischaracterizations of the facts. We will use every tool at our disposal to prevail in this matter.”

The Wildmon family and AFA have long been outspoken opponents of LGBTQ+ rights, gay marriage, and abortion rights. AFA is also a Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group.

Chambers says he reported the harassment to Walker Wildmon, son of AFA President Tim Wildmon, who admitted Cook had been accused of similar abuse by other colleagues.

But the complaint states AFA leaders took no action to address Chambers’ sexual harassment allegations after repeated complaints, nor did they address his warnings of financial improprieties plaguing the religious organization’s lobbying arm.

Eight months later, Tim Wildmon’s daughter made a bizarre charge of her own: that Chambers appeared in a dream she had in which he kissed her infant child on the lips.

She “further went on to state that she would no longer bring her minor children to the office because Plaintiff might harm them,” according to the complaint.

Soon after, following another meeting with leadership where Chambers raised the sexual harassment incidents and what he called defamatory comments made by Wildmon’s daughter, he was terminated.

“Leadership has been talking and we just think it would be best for [us] to let you go,” AFA Executive Vice President Ed Vitagliano told Chambers, according to a transcript of the call submitted with the suit.

According to Vitagliano, also named in the complaint, Chambers was terminated due to his lack of respect for leadership.