WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, America First Legal (AFL) filed a federal civil rights complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against the Los Angeles Dodgers (Dodgers) and the investment firm Guggenheim Partners for apparently engaging in unlawful discrimination under the guise of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI), in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Both entities are led by Mark Walter, the majority owner of the Dodgers and the CEO of Guggenheim Partners. According to his biography on the Dodgers’ website, he is a self-described “social-justice advocate.” AFL’s complaint alleges that the Dodgers and Guggenheim Partners appear to be engaging in similar unlawful DEI practices by allowing race, color, and sex to motivate employment decisions.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On its DEI website, the Dodgers admit to unlawfully considering immutable characteristics by committing to:
- “Sponsoring programs geared to women and people of color.”
- “[E]mbedding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategies into every aspect of the organization.”
Furthermore, the Dodgers admit to incorporating DEI into the organization in quantifiable ways with identifiable goals to achieve “success” that DEI is a core component of the team’s “Mission,” stating, “Our charge is to direct and track impact, establish clear accountabilities, reporting standards, aspirational goals and measurements of success.”
The Dodgers also allow employees to join Business Resource Groups within the organization, providing employees “a forum to gather with other employees who hold common interests, identities and/or social issues.” Some groups appear to provide benefits to employees based on their racial and ethnic identity and sex.
For example:
- The Asian Professionals employee group aims “to empower our Asian employees…”
- The Black Action Network group “foster[s] the growth, development, and well-being of the Dodger Black community that will ultimately result in opportunities for Black people on the field, in the stands, and in the front office, building upon our proud history of diversity.”
- The SOMOS LA group appears to provide Latino employees with employment benefits. Its mission “is to ensure organizational representation and promote resources for professional development, business support, and community outreach that advances and empowers the Latinx community.”
Guggenheim Partners
In addition to being Chairman and controlling owner of the Dodgers, Mark Walter is CEO of Guggenheim Partners, a global investment firm managing over $345 billion in assets. Guggenheim Partners has engaged in similar conduct, describing the importance of “a diverse and inclusive workforce” and that it infuses diversity and inclusion into “everything we do.”
On its website’s “Diversity and Inclusion” page, Guggenheim Partners states that it ensures that DEI plays a role in recruitment, professional development, contracting, and “throughout our Firm.” Its website explicitly states that “diversity” means that it considers immutable characteristics, including race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
Federal law is clear: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment practices that treat a person worse because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The harm does not need to be significant, so long as an employee is left worse than her peers—because of these immutable characteristics.
The Dodgers have also recently come under public scrutiny for publicly opposing federal immigration enforcement. On June 19, 2025, the Dodgers claimed that they denied U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access at Dodger Stadium, which the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) disputed. Subsequently, the club committed $1 million to those affected by ICE’s enforcement of federal law in the sanctuary city of Los Angeles.
AFL remains committed to protecting the legal equality of all Americans and holding accountable those who violate federal law under the guise of DEI.
“AFL has once again stepped up to the plate, standing up for Americans against major corporations committed to discriminating based on race, color, national origin, and sex,” said Will Scolinos, America First Legal Counsel. “AFL will stand firm, taking the fight to influential corporations until their policies reflect that there is no ‘right’ kind of discrimination, even if they use the friendliest ‘inclusion’ terminology. Discrimination based on race, color, and sex is always wrong. By taking on the Dodgers and Guggenheim Partners, we are requesting the EEOC call balls and strikes and enforce the rule of law.”
Read the EEOC complaint here.
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