A former Palm Beach County aide has accused Mayor Sara Baxter of pressuring her into a sexual relationship with a wealthy potential donor, according to a whistleblower complaint that surfaced just days before Tuesday's primary election. Baxter has denied the allegations outright, calling them a politically motivated attack timed to derail her re-election bid for the County Commission's District 6 seat.
The whistleblower complaint alleges that Baxter suggested the former staffer become the girlfriend of a 77-year-old businessman identified only as Anderson, described in the complaint as a wealthy potential donor, according to WFLX. The complaint further alleges that Anderson expressed interest in the staffer and that Baxter encouraged her to present herself in a more sexualized manner in front of potential donors, commenting on her physical appearance in the process. When the staffer declined Anderson's alleged advances and refused the arrangement, she was allegedly told to start looking for a new job, according to a report cited by the Palm Beach Post.
The former staffer, who remains anonymous, alleges she was the victim of sexual exploitation, coercion, abuse of power and retaliatory conduct. She spoke with WPTV, which reported that she confirmed the details laid out in the whistleblower document. The allegations involve events the former aide said occurred during 2024 and part of 2025, per the same account.
Baxter Calls the Complaint a Last-Minute Smear
Baxter has firmly denied ever pressuring a staffer in the manner described, telling reporters, “Never have, never would.” She has repeatedly framed the complaint as a last-minute political smear, arguing that its timing — arriving just days before the primary — proves it was designed to damage her campaign rather than raise a genuine concern.
Baxter has gone further, accusing Katherine Waldron, a Democratic candidate for the same District 6 seat, of being behind the complaint and alleging that Waldron's team knew about it in advance. Waldron has denied any involvement and called Baxter's attempt to pin the complaint on her campaign laughable. Waldron is one of three Democrats competing for the District 6 nomination, alongside Mario Guzman and Rudolph Tinker, according to CBS12. Baxter, meanwhile, is defending her Republican primary spot against challenger Elizabeth Accomando, with the winner of each primary set to face off in November.
Firefighters Union Pulls Its Endorsement
The controversy has already reshaped the local political landscape. A Palm Beach County firefighters union withdrew its endorsement of Baxter ahead of the election because of the allegations, according to WPBF. Union President Jeff Newsome said the organization felt it had no choice but to take the allegations seriously, while stopping short of saying whether he believed they were true.
Baxter personally asked the union to reconsider its decision, but the endorsement stayed withdrawn, the station reported. Notably, the union has not thrown its support behind Baxter's opponent, leaving the race without that endorsement altogether as voters headed to the polls Tuesday.
Ethics Board Investigation Continues
The Palm Beach County Board of Ethics is actively investigating the whistleblower complaint, and that inquiry remains ongoing. WPTV reported it will continue following the story as findings become available. For now, the underlying allegations remain unresolved, with Baxter denying wrongdoing and the former aide standing by her account of events from 2024 and 2025.
