The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability announced Saturday it will hold a hearing to investigate allegations that a FEMA official directed relief workers to bypass homes displaying Trump signs following Hurricane Milton in Florida. The move comes after a whistleblower report published by The Daily Wire revealed that a FEMA supervisor instructed staff to avoid helping homes with signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump.
Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, requesting her appearance before the committee on November 19. Comer’s letter emphasized the seriousness of the claims and the need for transparency in FEMA’s disaster relief operations.
“This hearing will address FEMA’s response to recent major natural disasters, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and permit members to investigate reports that a FEMA official instructed relief workers to bypass hurricane-impacted homes displaying campaign signs for President Trump,” Comer wrote. “In the wake of these disasters, it is critical that FEMA adheres to its mission of providing relief impartially, regardless of political affiliations.”
?BREAKING?
I’m calling on FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to appear & testify before the House Oversight Committee at a hearing on November 19.
FEMA has a responsibility to all Americans & @GOPoversight is committed to ensuring FEMA adheres to its disaster relief mission. pic.twitter.com/5HbWhHsgOI
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) November 9, 2024
The controversy began when multiple government employees reported that Marn’i Washington, a now-terminated FEMA supervisor, told teams verbally and in group chats to “avoid homes advertising Trump” while providing aid in Lake Placid, Florida. At least 20 homes were allegedly skipped due to the directive, sparking outrage and calls for accountability.
In response to the revelations, FEMA Administrator Criswell confirmed that Washington had been fired, calling the actions a violation of the agency’s principles. “More than 22,000 FEMA employees every day adhere to FEMA’s core values and are dedicated to helping people before, during, and after disasters,” Criswell said in a statement. “Recently, one FEMA employee departed from these values by advising her team not to go to homes with yard signs supporting President-elect Trump. This is a clear violation of our core values and is reprehensible.”
Criswell added that the incident has been referred to the Office of Special Counsel for further investigation. “We take our mission to help everyone seriously. This employee has been terminated, and we are ensuring that this type of behavior never happens again,” she stated.
The directive to bypass homes with Trump signs has drawn widespread criticism and prompted multiple lawmakers to announce inquiries into the matter. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) are among those demanding answers, underscoring concerns about potential political bias within federal relief efforts.
The upcoming hearing is expected to focus on FEMA’s handling of recent disasters and the agency’s commitment to impartiality in its relief operations. As the investigation unfolds, lawmakers are likely to press Criswell on how FEMA plans to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future and restore public trust in the agency’s mission.