WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has dismissed three more supervisors after an internal investigation revealed a team of disaster relief workers was instructed to avoid assisting Trump-supporting households affected by Hurricane Milton in Florida.
Acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton confirmed the terminations in a letter to Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on Tuesday, stating that the probe determined the supervisors had “failed to meet our standards of conduct.”
“[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,” Hamilton wrote. He further emphasized that the agency, along with President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, is committed to ensuring aid is provided impartially, regardless of political affiliation.
Political Bias Allegations Spark Outrage
The controversy began last November when Sen. Blackburn raised concerns with then-FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, calling the alleged bias “disgusting.” In response to the latest firings, Blackburn expressed her satisfaction with the agency’s decision.
“I’m pleased to see that FEMA has terminated four individuals as a result of the agency’s disgusting discrimination against Trump supporters in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton last year,” Blackburn told The Post.
“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.”

FEMA Denies Systemic Issue, Despite Contradictions
Hamilton’s letter insisted the investigation found “no evidence this was a systemic problem, nor that it was directed by agency or field leadership.” However, this contradicts statements from former FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington, who initially sparked the controversy.
In October, Washington reportedly instructed a disaster relief crew in Lake Placid, Florida, to “avoid homes advertising Trump,” according to an internal memo obtained by the Daily Wire. She was fired the following month, with Criswell calling her directive “a clear violation of FEMA’s core values and principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation.”
Insider Testimonies Challenge FEMA’s Narrative
Washington later claimed in a November interview with podcaster Roland Martin that the practice of withholding aid from Trump supporters was not isolated to Florida but also occurred “in the Carolinas.”
“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’re experiencing in the field, they will tell you,” Washington said.
One FEMA worker corroborated Washington’s claims, telling The Post that relief teams in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene received “clear guidance” to be “mindful” of Republican-leaning areas. The employee suggested the agency’s push for “equity” influenced the decision on aid distribution, which involved over $1.2 billion in disaster relief funds.

Investigations Continue
The allegations triggered multiple federal and state investigations into FEMA’s potential “systemic bias” in disaster relief efforts. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, and several state attorneys general launched probes into the matter.
Criswell, who testified before the House Oversight Committee in November following Trump’s election victory, denied any widespread misconduct. “It has not gone beyond what this one employee did,” she asserted, maintaining that FEMA had no agency-wide directive to bypass homes based on political leanings.

However, the Office of Special Counsel disagreed, finding that Washington’s actions violated the Hatch Act by “[e]ngaging in political activity while on duty and using her official authority or influence to interfere with or affect the results of an election.”
Washington now faces potential civil penalties and a federal employment ban, as her case is under review by the Merit Systems Protection Board.

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