WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — An Atlanta-based fiber optic company is suing the City of Warner Robins for $10 million.
Two years ago, the city paid $2.5 million to install a fiber-optic network in Warner Robins.
The city's plan was to bring high speed internet to all parts of the city, including to their own government buildings.
Back in November, A2D and eCBI Warner filed a lawsuit in Houston County Superior Court claiming Warner Robins Mayor Randy Toms was denying them access to their fiber lines.
Now, in the new federal lawsuit filed Thursday, the companies claim Toms withheld their lines because of racial bias.
The suit alleges Toms, "a White elected official, has displayed racial animus towards minority-owned businesses."
Those "minority-owned businesses" are the ones who filed the suit, A2D and eCBI Warner.
They claim that Toms tried to steer business away from them once they installed a fiber optic network and towards Hargray Communications Group, Inc, which the suit says is a predominantly white-owned company.
The suit also alleges Toms instructed business owners, both established and new to the City, not to engage in any business transactions with A2D or eCBI.
They go on to claim the city's Director of Building and Transportation, Bill Mulkey, conspired with Toms to deny right-of-way permits for the two companies.
A2D's attorney, Robert Cheeley says his clients are looking for justice.
"The actions of this mayor are reprehensible. He tries to take away the property, which is the conduit and the 48 strands of fiber that my clients invested close to $1 million in."
He goes on to say Toms refused to recognize their rights, so they had no choice but to take this to court.
"We know from several other examples from people that we've interviewed and we plan to call as witnesses in Warner Robins, that the Mayor... every one of them describes him as holding racial prejudice towards minorities," says Cheeley.
Mayor Randy Toms calls these claims disgusting lies.
"Disgusting, horrendous, terrible lies," says Toms. "The city will vigorously defend these baseless allegations and expect to be vindicated in a court of law. The Plaintiffs' accusations are completely without the support of facts. The city looks forward to clearing its name in court."
David Reid, who runs the Facebook page "Enough is Enough" is also named in the suit.
They claim he was instructed by Toms to make negative posts about the two companies.
"Someone is very sadly confused or received very erroneous information," Reid told 13WMAZ over the phone. "I have never been recruited by anyone to post anything."
Mulkey had no comment on the pending litigation.
This is now the second lawsuit we've told you about that makes racial discrimination claims against Toms and the city.
Just last month, a federal judge said the city may have killed the Perkins Field Housing Project based on race.