Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody Sues FEMA Officials Over Alleged Political Discrimination.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has launched legal action against both current and former officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), alleging that they instructed employees to disregard storm victims based on their political affiliation. The lawsuit claims that FEMA employees in Lake Placid, Florida, were told to skip homes displaying Trump signs or flags while assessing storm damage after recent hurricanes.
The case gained significant media attention following whistleblower reports, which indicated that FEMA workers were instructed to ignore homes that expressed support for President Trump. According to the lawsuit, messages such as “Trump sign no entry per leadership” were entered into the government database, and “at least 20 homes” in Lake Placid were skipped as a result of this directive. The allegations suggest that these actions occurred from October to November, during an active hurricane season, while many Floridians were still reeling from storm damage.
Allegations of Political Discrimination and FEMA’s Response
The lawsuit accuses FEMA officials of engaging in political discrimination, withholding aid from citizens based solely on their political beliefs. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody stated, “Hurricane season is not over, and the federal agency in charge of emergency response is embroiled in scandal – caught withholding aid from storm victims in Florida who support President Trump.”
Moody expressed a firm commitment to investigating the full scope of the allegations, saying, “I am taking swift legal action to find out how far this political discrimination reaches and to make sure all Americans who fall victim to devastating storms are served, regardless of their political affiliation.”
In response to the lawsuit, FEMA issued a statement indicating that it does not typically comment on ongoing litigation. However, the agency released a statement from FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, confirming the termination of the employee responsible for the alleged misconduct.
Deanne Criswell called the behavior of Marn’i Washington, the FEMA supervisor involved, "reprehensible", emphasizing that it violated FEMA’s core values of impartiality and aid provision. Washington, however, defended her actions, claiming they were consistent with FEMA’s guidelines and that the decision to target Trump-supporting households was not an isolated case, accusing FEMA of using her as a scapegoat.
Support from Governor Ron DeSantis
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has endorsed the legal action, calling the alleged discrimination “unacceptable.” DeSantis went on to say that it was especially egregious to discriminate against Floridians following a hurricane, a time when the state is most in need of assistance. He also directed state agencies to take “any action necessary” to investigate the matter and ensure that all individuals who were victims of political discrimination are held accountable.
Legal Action
The legal proceedings are seeking punitive damages from both Marn’i Washington and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell in their personal capacities. Florida’s aggressive pursuit of justice could set a significant precedent for holding federal agencies accountable for political discrimination, particularly in the delivery of emergency services during natural disasters.
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