A FEMA official who instructed relief workers to skip homes with Trump signs in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton has been removed from her role. The official’s actions were brought to light by internal messages obtained by the Daily Wire, which revealed that at least 20 homes with Trump signs or flags were bypassed by workers following the official’s guidance. The official instructed workers to avoid homes advertising Trump, leading to messages being sent in a government system that indicated homes should not be visited due to the presence of Trump signs. The FEMA spokesperson has stated that the agency is deeply disturbed by the employee’s actions and has taken measures to address the situation.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced an investigation into FEMA over the incident, criticizing the agency for the blatant weaponization of government by partisan activists in the federal bureaucracy. DeSantis expressed his optimism that the partisan bureaucrats responsible for the discriminatory actions would be fired with new leadership on the way to Washington D.C. Furthermore, the U.S. House Oversight Committee and Rep. James Comer have also criticized FEMA for not firing the official involved in the incident. Comer highlighted the IRS’s attempts to force whistleblower Gary Shapley out of the agency, contrasted with FEMA’s lack of action in response to the discrimination against residents with Trump signs.
The FEMA agents were directed to avoid helping houses with Trump signs in Highlands County, a deep-red area in south central Florida that was severely impacted by Hurricane Milton. President-elect Trump won nearly 70% of the vote in the county, showing the extent of support for Trump in the area. DeSantis and other officials have raised concerns about the politicization of government agencies, particularly during a time of crisis like a natural disaster. The actions of the FEMA official have been heavily criticized, with calls for accountability and consequences for those responsible for discriminating against residents based on their political beliefs.
The FEMA spokesperson emphasized that the agency helps all survivors regardless of their political preference or affiliation and stated that the incident involving the official instructing workers to skip homes with Trump signs was an isolated one. The agency has taken steps to remove the employee from their role and is investigating the matter to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Despite these actions, there are calls for further accountability and consequences for those responsible for the discriminatory actions. The White House has also defended Vice President Kamala Harris’ remarks on hurricane relief equity in the wake of the controversy surrounding FEMA’s actions.
The incident involving the FEMA official instructing relief workers to skip homes with Trump signs has sparked outrage and calls for accountability from various officials and public figures. Governor DeSantis has initiated an investigation into FEMA over the incident, highlighting concerns about the politicization of government agencies. The U.S. House Oversight Committee and Rep. James Comer have criticized FEMA for not taking stronger action against the official responsible for the discriminatory actions. This incident has prompted discussions about the need for reforms to hold bureaucrats accountable and prevent such incidents from happening in the future. The controversy surrounding FEMA’s actions in response to Hurricane Milton highlights the challenges of navigating political divisions and ensuring fair and equitable distribution of aid during times of crisis.
