Date of Offense
Supporting Document(s)
Statement
“Apples & Brown Sugar” Racial Text (Sustained Finding / Responsible Official):
On March 18, 2021, Phoenix VA Police Lieutenant Joshua FISTER sent Lead Police Officer Sergeant Matthew Bennett a text message containing a photo of “Apples & Brown Sugar” soap with the caption: “Wife bought a new soap and I thought of you.”
Bennett documented the exchange in a formal Memorandum for Record the same day. He stated he interpreted “Brown Sugar” as a racial reference to his African-American identity. FISTER replied “LMFAO.” Bennett noted he went along with the exchange because FISTER was his supervisor and he feared retaliation.
In the EEO investigation, FISTER admitted he sent the photo and text. He offered no explanation for the racial content.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Final Agency Decision (VA Case No. 200P-644-2022-147530) found a Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII violation based on race. Joshua FISTER was named the Responsible Management Official (RMO). The Agency ordered him to receive mandatory EEO training focused on hostile work environments and directed that disciplinary action be considered against him.
This sustained finding of racial misconduct by a supervisor is Brady/Giglio impeachment material.
These records were obtained from public court filings in Ramirez v. Phoenix Veterans Affairs Police Department et al., Case No. 2:25-cv-00959 (D. Ariz.).
