The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has dismissed three supervisors implicated in a scandal where aid workers were reportedly instructed to ignore homes displaying Trump signs in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
This brings the total number of dismissals to four, all linked to the same incident.
This development seems to challenge the previous assertions of former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who informed the House Oversight Committee that the shocking directive was the work of a single employee, according to RedState. The New York Post disclosed that Cameron Hamilton, the current acting administrator of the agency, communicated the outcome of an "exhaustive investigation" into the matter to Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) through a letter.
Hamilton wrote, "[I]t is essential that the entire workforce understand that this incident was reprehensible, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated at FEMA." He is also reportedly working on additional training for FEMA employees to emphasize that political affiliation should never influence the provision of assistance.
The revelation that aid workers were instructed to bypass homes of Trump supporters in the wake of Hurricane Milton was a shocking disclosure. Whistleblowers unveiled a narrative involving a supervisor instructing employees in Lake Placid, Florida, to avoid any damaged homes with Trump signs outside while assessing the area after the devastating storm.
Marni Washington, a supervisor with the agency at the time, was dismissed over the incident, as messages between her and the workers provided clear evidence of their actions. Documents outlining "best practices" stated avoid homes advertising Trump, and employee messages confirmed Trump sign no entry per leadership, making it difficult to dispute.
Evidence not only pointed to a directive to prolong the suffering of Republican voters, but also documented them actually following these orders. Washington, however, did not leave quietly. She publicly alleged on Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network that the politicization of disaster aid was a more pervasive issue than FEMA was willing to admit.
Washington claimed that aid workers avoiding pro-Trump homes had also occurred in North Carolina, which Hurricane Helene had devastated. She stated, Senior leadership will lie to you and tell you that they do not know. But if you ask the [Disaster Survivor Assistance] crew leads and specialists what they are experiencing in the field, they will tell you.
Criswell refuted these allegations, telling lawmakers, It has not gone beyond what this one employee did. However, the number has now risen to four. James Comer (R-KY), Chair of the House Oversight Committee, later spoke to a whistleblower who alleged that a FEMA contractor had suggested disaster victims with Trump signs outside their homes were seen by officials as "domestic terrorists."
Despite these allegations, Hamilton assured Blackburn in his letter that politicizing people's lives is not a widespread issue at FEMA. He stated that while four supervisors failed to meet our standards of conduct in providing aid irrespective of political beliefs, the investigation found no evidence this was a systemic problem, nor that it was directed by agency or field leadership.
However, the dismissal of those involved in withholding aid, while necessary, still falls short of expectations. As reported by RedState's Streiff, these supervisors were engaged in criminal acts. He wrote, "Depriving citizens of federal assistance because they supported a major party candidate is a violation of multiple federal laws."
Blackburn expressed her satisfaction to the Post about the dismissal of the three additional supervisors. She said, This unjustifiable behavior should never be allowed to fester or run rampant in any organization let alone a federal agency that is designed to serve the needs of the American people."
Login