Prominent billionaire GOP donor accused of repeatedly making racist remarks

A national civil rights leader is calling on Nevada to investigate a prominent Las Vegas businessman and Republican donor following allegations he repeatedly used racial slurs in the workplace and once pulled a gun on a Black truck driver.

The Rev. Al Sharpton wrote a letter to Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford calling for an investigation into Don Ahern, who made his name and fortune as a construction equipment tycoon and has become a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump and other GOP candidates, including congressional hopeful John Lee.

Sharpton’s call for an investigation, first reported by The Hill last month, came in response to documents surfaced from a now-settled 2022 lawsuit brought by a former Ahern Rentals employee in California. Mark Townsend alleged Ahern as CEO “regularly and frequently” used the n-word and made discriminatory comments about other marginalized groups. CNBC reported on the allegations ahead of Trump’s most recent visit to Las Vegas, where Ahern co-hosted a private fundraiser for the former president with suggested donation levels ranging from $1,000 per person to more than $840,000 per couple.

Townsend alleged Ahern made repeated racist, sexist and ageist remarks during business meetings, including saying:

“We don’t like hiring n—–s. They are dumb. They are just born that way.”“We do not hire any n——s or women for the sales force or positions where they are first seen by the public.”“We need to get rid of all the old f——s, n—–s, Mexicans, and women, because they’re useless.”

In his lawsuit, Townsend also alleged that Evan Ahern, the CEO’s son, said, “We do not hire n—–s at Ahern Rentals.” To which Don Ahern allegedly responded, “Or fat people, they have way too many health issues.”

Townsend, who was fired from Ahern Rentals shortly after turning 58, argued he was a victim of age discrimination and claimed Ahern had previously told managers, “If you have any employees getting close to the age of 60 start lining up their replacement now and get rid of them as soon as possible.”

Ahern has previously denied all of the allegations. He could not be reached for comment this week. The lawsuit was settled out of court. Months after the settlement, Ahern Rentals was acquired by United Rentals, a Connecticut-based publicly traded company that describes itself as the largest equipment rental company in the world.

One of Ahern’s former attorneys, Mohammed Sami Bakdash, confirmed in a May deposition related to separate litigation against an Ahern company that he heard the CEO use the derogatory language cited in Townsend’s lawsuit. That deposition was also reported by CNBC.

In his letter to Ford, which the Current obtained, Sharpton references additional sworn statements made during litigation against Ahern, including one alleging the CEO once “called a truck driver the ‘n-word’ and pulled a gun on him.”

Sharpton acknowledges in his letter that because Ford is a Democratic attorney general who is Black, a potential investigation into a Trump donor would be politically charged and invite conservative ire “but the sworn statements of these courageous employees should also compel you to rise above that and do what is right for those either intimidated by or denied an opportunity due to Ahern’s warped view of the world.”

He added, “I make this inquiry not for political reasons, but moral ones.”

Ford’s office did not respond to the Current’s requests to confirm or comment on the letter by publication time.

Prominent political donor

Don Ahern has long been a political donor and has been known within the construction industry and business community in Nevada, but he has received increased attention in recent years because of his staunch support of Trump.

Ahern Rentals has been operating under that brand since 1997 but its history goes back to an equipment rental company founded by Ahern’s father in 1958, according to the company website. In 2022, when the company was acquired by United Rentals for $2 billion, Ahern Rentals was the eighth largest equipment rental company in North America.

According to its website, the Ahern Family of Companies incorporates 20 brands, including Xtreme Manufacturing, which Ahern launched in 2003; Snorkel, which he acquired majority stake of in 2013; and Ahern Hotel, an off-Strip boutique hotel and convention center in operation since late 2019.

During the covid pandemic, the convention center unsuccessfully challenged Nevada’s covid emergency directive limiting the size of gatherings in meeting facilities. In 2021, the hotel made headlines again for welcoming a Qanon conference after Caesars Entertainment canceled their reservation amid public outcry.

That same year, Ahern donated $250,000 to the Make America Great Again, Again PAC and joined the Nevada State Republican Party as finance chairman. He has hosted private fundraisers and events for the former president, who has referenced him by first name on stage during at least one public rally.

But Ahern’s financial support isn’t limited to the former president.

In December, Ahern and his wife, Carolyn Lee Ahern, both donated $4,950 to Republican John Lee’s congressional campaign. Trump has endorsed Lee.

Ahern’s financial support of Lee goes back to at least 2004, when Lee, then a Democrat, was serving in the Nevada State Legislature. According to the state’s campaign finance disclosure database, Ahern companies have donated more than $45,000 to Lee between 2004 and 2021, his last year running for statewide office.

In social media posts, Lee has referred to Ahern and Lloyd Benson, president of a vocational training company owned by Ahern, as “ good friends” and acknowledged they have hosted campaign events for him. Benson was listed as a co-host of the most recent Trump fundraiser in Las Vegas.

Lee did not respond to the Current’s request for comment on Ahern.

Lee is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford in Nevada’s 4th Congressional District. Cook Political Report lists the race as ‘likely Democrat’ but uncertainty at the top of the Democratic ticket may impact races up and down the ballot.

Horsford chairs the Congressional Black Caucus.

Since 2018, Ahern has also given $13,000 to U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei, a Republican in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District. His most recent contribution to Amodei was in October 2022.

In this year’s Nevada GOP Senate primary, Ahern donated $1,700 to Tony Grady, who placed fourth behind primary winner Sam Brown and fellow challengers Jeff Gunter and Jim Marchant. During the 2022 Nevada GOP Senate primary, Ahern contributed $5,800 to Brown over Adam Laxalt.

Also in 2022, Ahern gave $2,500 to Mark Robertson, the Republican challenger to Democratic U.S. Rep. Dina Titus. Robertson is challenging Titus again this year, though Ahern does not appear to have contributed to the effort.

Ahern has also given to out-of-state candidates in Arizona, Tennessee, and Utah.

At the state level, Ahern has directly given to numerous candidates. Earlier this year, he gave $2,000 to Henderson City Councilman Dan Shaw, who is running for reelection, and since 2021 he has contributed to Clark County Commissioner Jim Gibson, Jim Marchant (when he was running for secretary of state), Sigal Chattah (when she was running for attorney general), and Henderson Mayor Debra Anne March.

According to campaign finance reports filed with the state, Ahern’s companies have also contributed to down-ballot candidates.

On June 1, Ahern Families of Companies provided $10,000 worth of billboard ads to Rebecca Wolfson, who was running for Las Vegas Municipal Judge, Department 5. Wolfson, the daughter of Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, secured the position by getting more than 50% of the votes during the June 9 primary.

Another Ahern-linked company, 333 North Rancho LLC, contributed $1,500 to Republican April Becker, who is running for Clark County Commission’s District C.

Nevada Current is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nevada Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Hugh Jackson for questions: info@nevadacurrent.com. Follow Nevada Current on Facebook and X.