A man says he was fired from his political canvassing job for wearing a gun as he went door-to-door in Kalamazoo last week.
The man left door hangers promoting Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers. Fine print on the hangers notes that they were paid for by Americans for Prosperity Action, a political fundraising group that supports Rogers.
AFP Action has not responded to multiple requests for comment, and has not confirmed that the man was fired.
In an email, Rogers campaign spokesman Chris Gustafson noted that the canvasser did not work for the Rogers campaign. “I am recommending you reach out to AFP if you would like a comment on the actions of their employees,” Gustafson added.
“Not a chance I was opening the door”
WMUK heard from two sources than an armed individual who was out canvassing came to their doors in Kalamazoo last week. One provided the door hanger left at their property to the station. The other, a social media user, shared what they said was a door-camera image with WMUK. It shows a man in a hat holding a handful of fliers. He appears to have a gun on his hip.
“My camera was kinda grainy but it looked like he was open carrying too, not a chance I was opening the door,” the user wrote in a post to a Reddit forum.
WMUK reached out to Americans for Prosperity Action for comment. A few days later, a man who identified himself as the canvasser told the station in an email that AFP Action had fired him.
“AFP does not endorse open carry for any employees, and my employment was terminated,” he wrote.
The man defended his practice of open-carrying while door-knocking.
“My pistol is licensed and registered, and I observe my rights to open carry where I can,” he said.
“I'm an experienced canvasser who has knocked on tens of thousands of doors, and most people better understand these rights, have curiosity and understand my concerns,” he added.
Americans for Prosperity Action has not responded to WMUK’s requests to confirm that the man was an employee and that he was fired, and to explain its policy on canvassers carrying guns.
Copyright 2024 WMUK
