FEMA Official Removed From Role After Telling Hurricane Milton Relief Workers To Skip Homes With Trump Signs
FEMA Director Deanne Criswell
According to a report by the Daily Wire, A FEMA official,
whose identity has not been disclosed by the agency, reportedly directed
workers canvassing Lake Placid, Florida, to “avoid homes advertising
Trump” while assessing residents for eligibility for federal aid.
The Daily Wire stated that the government employees informed
the outlet that at least 20 homes displaying Trump signs or flags were
skipped over between late October and early November due to the
official’s “best practices” instructions.
Workers noted the exclusion in government systems, with messages like: “Trump signs no entry per leadership.”
A FEMA spokesperson told Fox News that it is “deeply disturbed” by the employee’s actions and says it is an “isolated incident.”
“FEMA helps all survivors regardless of their political preference or
affiliation,” the spokesperson said via a statement. “While we believe
this is an isolated incident, we have taken measures to remove the
employee from their role and are investigating the matter to prevent
this from happening ever again.”
It is currently unclear if the agent was fired from the agency altogether.
“The employee who issued this guidance had no authority and was given
no direction to tell teams to avoid these homes and we are reaching out
to the people who may have not been reached as a result of this
incident,” the spokesperson said. “The agency has helped more than
365,000 households impacted by both Hurricanes Helene and Milton in
Florida and provided nearly $900 million in direct assistance to
survivors.”
“We are horrified that this took place and therefore have taken
extreme actions to correct this situation and have ensured that the
matter was addressed at all levels,” they said.
FEMA agents were reportedly instructed not to assist homes displaying
Trump signs in Highlands County, a strongly conservative region in
south-central Florida, which was severely impacted by tornadoes, heavy
rain, and flooding after Hurricane Ian struck in October.
President-elect Trump had won nearly 70% of the vote in the area.
Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) criticized the federal agency on
Friday after learning about the directive, and announced that his
administration would launch an investigation into FEMA’s actions.
“The blatant weaponization of government by partisan activists in the
federal bureaucracy is yet another reason why the Biden-Harris
administration is in its final days,” DeSantis wrote on X. “At my
direction, the Division of Emergency Management is launching an
investigation into the federal government’s targeted discrimination of
Floridians who support Donald Trump. New leadership is on the way to
D.C., and I’m optimistic that these partisan bureaucrats will be fired.”
The U.S. House Oversight Committee, led by Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.),
also criticized FEMA for failing to dismiss the official responsible.
Comer pointed out the contrast, noting that while FEMA has not taken
action, the IRS has reportedly tried to force out whistleblower Gary
Shapley. Shapley, an IRS supervisory special agent, along with IRS
criminal investigator Joseph Ziegler, brought allegations of political
interference in the Hunter Biden investigation to Congress.
“FEMA hasn’t fired this person… But the IRS has been trying to force
IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley out for blowing the whistle! We must hold
these unelected bureaucrats accountable,” Comer wrote on X. “FEMA
admits this happened but doesn’t say if the bureaucrat responsible has
been fired,” the House Oversight Committee wrote on X. “Democrats
relentlessly defend the rules that insulate unelected bureaucrats from
accountability and make it nearly impossible to fire bad employees. This
is why we need President Trump’s reforms to make bureaucrats
accountable.”
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
According to a report by the Daily Wire, A FEMA official,
whose identity has not been disclosed by the agency, reportedly directed
workers canvassing Lake Placid, Florida, to “avoid homes advertising
Trump” while assessing residents for eligibility for federal aid.
The Daily Wire stated that the government employees informed
the outlet that at least 20 homes displaying Trump signs or flags were
skipped over between late October and early November due to the
official’s “best practices” instructions.
Workers noted the exclusion in government systems, with messages like: “Trump signs no entry per leadership.”
A FEMA spokesperson told Fox News that it is “deeply disturbed” by the employee’s actions and says it is an “isolated incident.”
“FEMA helps all survivors regardless of their political preference or
affiliation,” the spokesperson said via a statement. “While we believe
this is an isolated incident, we have taken measures to remove the
employee from their role and are investigating the matter to prevent
this from happening ever again.”
It is currently unclear if the agent was fired from the agency altogether.
“The employee who issued this guidance had no authority and was given
no direction to tell teams to avoid these homes and we are reaching out
to the people who may have not been reached as a result of this
incident,” the spokesperson said. “The agency has helped more than
365,000 households impacted by both Hurricanes Helene and Milton in
Florida and provided nearly $900 million in direct assistance to
survivors.”
“We are horrified that this took place and therefore have taken
extreme actions to correct this situation and have ensured that the
matter was addressed at all levels,” they said.
FEMA agents were reportedly instructed not to assist homes displaying
Trump signs in Highlands County, a strongly conservative region in
south-central Florida, which was severely impacted by tornadoes, heavy
rain, and flooding after Hurricane Ian struck in October.
President-elect Trump had won nearly 70% of the vote in the area.
Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) criticized the federal agency on
Friday after learning about the directive, and announced that his
administration would launch an investigation into FEMA’s actions.
“The blatant weaponization of government by partisan activists in the
federal bureaucracy is yet another reason why the Biden-Harris
administration is in its final days,” DeSantis wrote on X. “At my
direction, the Division of Emergency Management is launching an
investigation into the federal government’s targeted discrimination of
Floridians who support Donald Trump. New leadership is on the way to
D.C., and I’m optimistic that these partisan bureaucrats will be fired.”
The U.S. House Oversight Committee, led by Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.),
also criticized FEMA for failing to dismiss the official responsible.
Comer pointed out the contrast, noting that while FEMA has not taken
action, the IRS has reportedly tried to force out whistleblower Gary
Shapley. Shapley, an IRS supervisory special agent, along with IRS
criminal investigator Joseph Ziegler, brought allegations of political
interference in the Hunter Biden investigation to Congress.
“FEMA hasn’t fired this person… But the IRS has been trying to force
IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley out for blowing the whistle! We must hold
these unelected bureaucrats accountable,” Comer wrote on X. “FEMA
admits this happened but doesn’t say if the bureaucrat responsible has
been fired,” the House Oversight Committee wrote on X. “Democrats
relentlessly defend the rules that insulate unelected bureaucrats from
accountability and make it nearly impossible to fire bad employees. This
is why we need President Trump’s reforms to make bureaucrats
accountable.”
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
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