A former employee has accused the host of a Trump fundraiser of making racist comments in the workplace, according to a settled lawsuit.

• A construction equipment magnate who was accused of making racist comments at work is hosting a campaign fundraiser for Donald Trump in Las Vegas.
• A former Ahern Rentals employee filed a lawsuit alleging that Don Ahern frequently used racist language at work. Ahern denied the allegations, and the case was settled out of court.
• The alliance between Trump and Ahern, which has been strong for many years, may come under examination from significant voter groups.

A construction equipment magnate who was accused of making racist remarks to his employees will host former President Donald Trump at a fundraiser on Saturday, according to legal filings reviewed by CNBC.

The Ahern Luxury Boutique Hotel, owned by businessman Don Ahern, will host an event in Las Vegas, with Trump scheduled to attend. The tycoon and founder of Ahern Rentals is listed as a co-host of the event, with ticket prices for couples going for up to $844,600, according to an invitation obtained by CNBC.

In 2022, an employee who worked at Ahern Rentals for 17 years claimed in a lawsuit that he observed Don Ahern making racist and bigoted remarks in the workplace.

Mark Townsend, the plaintiff in the case, was terminated from his job at Ahern Rentals and sought monetary damages for lost income, lost benefits, lost earnings capacity, and other economic losses. The original complaint did not specify a specific monetary value, and the case was settled out of court in July 2023.

Don Ahern allegedly made derogatory comments about hiring "n------," claiming they are "dumb" and "just born that way," according to Townsend's accusations.

He claimed that he heard Ahern say, "If it were up to me, I would eliminate all the n------, Mexicans, and women because they are unproductive."

In a response filing, Ahern's legal team stated that the construction CEO rejected "all allegations made in the complaint."

Don Ahern did not respond to repeated requests for comment from CNBC.

A lawyer representing Townsend declined to provide a comment to CNBC.

A representative from the Trump campaign declined to provide a comment before the publication.

In May, another former Ahern Rentals employee testified that Don Ahern used racist language and appeared to have problems working with women.

Near the end of his tenure at Ahern Rentals, Mohammed Sami Bakdash, who served as general counsel for Ahern and his companies for nearly a decade, testified during a deposition that he heard Ahern use this language.

Ahern Rentals is involved in a legal battle with several companies over allegations of participating in a massive, multistate fraud scheme involving the distribution of mobile solar generators. The architect of the Ponzi scheme was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2021. However, a group of companies is suing Ahern Rentals to recover some of the money they claim they lost. The litigation is ongoing.

During the May 24 deposition, Bakdash was asked if he heard Don Ahern use the N-word within the last year before leaving Ahern Rentals.

"Yes, sir," Bakdash replied.

"During my time as Ahern's legal advisor, it appeared that he had a problem with working with women," Bakdash stated in his deposition.

According to his LinkedIn page, Bakdash served as general counsel for Ahern until December 2023. Despite requests for comment from CNBC, he did not respond.

In October 2022, Townsend filed a lawsuit alleging employment discrimination. Two months later, United Rentals announced plans to acquire Ahern Rentals for $2 billion.

A political alliance

Trump and Ahern have been close allies for years.

During the 2020 campaign, at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Ahern, estimated to have a $1 billion fortune according to Forbes, hosted an indoor Trump rally.

Ahern stated at a press conference following a September 2020 rally in Henderson, Nevada, that he believed it was his patriotic obligation to support President Donald J. Trump and do what was best for the country.

In 2021, Ahern gave $250,000 to the pro-Trump political action committee, Make America Great Again, Again, as per Federal Election Commission records.

Trump has denied using racist language, despite accusations to the contrary.

The former producer of "The Apprentice" claims he heard Trump use the N-word during filming, but Trump's campaign denies the allegation.

Trump has been attempting to win over Black voters, a group that typically votes Democrat in presidential elections.

Following Trump's conviction of 34 criminal charges by a New York jury last month, his campaign surrogates targeted Black voters.

According to Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., there are two main reasons why many African Americans are joining the Trump campaign: job opportunities and justice.

Trump asserts that the criminal charges against him have increased his appeal among Black voters.

"The Black population embraced the mug shot I took in Atlanta more than anyone else," Trump stated at a gathering of Black conservatives in February. "That mug shot is now No. 1."

In Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, a battleground-state poll conducted by The New York Times, Siena College, and The Philadelphia Inquirer found that over 20% of Black registered voters supported Trump.

The survey took place from April 28 to May 9 and had a combined error margin of 1.8% for all states. The individual state polls had a sampling error ranging from 3.6% to 4.6%.