A Federal Emergency Management Agency supervisor who was fired for instructing workers to avoid homes with President Trump signs and flags said in an interview Tuesday that FEMA's “senior leadership” was well aware of the guidance. He said this was not an isolated incident.
FEMA Supervisor Marni Washington tells a survivor assistance team in Lake Placid, Florida, to avoid homes with President Trump signs and flags in an interview with host Roland Martin. He said he was instructed to do so. as a “community trend” in which people who fall into that category are hostile toward FEMA officials.
Washington said:
But if you look at the record, there is something called a community trend. And unfortunately, it was by chance that I and my team encountered political hostility during this deployment. They just happened to be holding Trump campaign signs. FEMA always preaches avoidance first, then de-escalation. So this is not isolated. We're going to see this avoidance not just in Florida, but in the Carolinas as well. Senior executives lie to you and say they don't know. But if you ask; [disaster survivor assistance] Crew leaders and experts tell us what they're experiencing in the field. Request that FEMA provide those incident reports. They will be able to demonstrate to us what is happening on the ground.
Washington claimed that he is “nonpartisan” and that FEMA leadership “knows that housing is being ignored due to political hostility.” She added:
So my senior leadership was aware of the amount of encounters that were happening in the field. Again, this was my second time in Florida, and my second time as a crew member, and I experienced unwelcome behavior from the residents. Now, not all Floridians are offended, but for the most part, those who express their disdain for FEMA very passionately have no problem expressing it.
So FEMA is well aware of the incidents that are happening not only to my crew, but to all crews in the declared state. And instead of just saying, “Hey, this is how we're going to ease up to protect the public,” they fired me and made sure I understood that I pledged allegiance to Donald Trump for fear of retaliation. I decided.
She further explained “community trends”:
…When we start to see a trend, for example, they happen to have a Trump campaign sign in front of their house, and that's a characteristic that's coming along with it, we have to proceed with precautions. No. Then de-escalate. That's the problem. Our bosses know that we constantly talk about keeping our employees safe. If people around you feel uncomfortable, don't go.
Her direct supervisor, a man named Chad Hershey, said he repeatedly told her that his job was to “keep the team safe.”
Therefore, because of the “community tendency” to face hostility from some people if there is a Trump sign, they will only go to homes “where there is no community tendency to have a Trump campaign sign.” said.
“If these residents come out and hold a Trump campaign sign and say, 'I want to register,' we welcome them with arms. We'll register. That's great, that's great, but I They should not have subjected our citizens to continuous abuse and hostile encounters,” she said.
Washington's claims echo those told by hurricane survivors to Breitbart News and other news organizations in North Carolina, where survivors said they believed federal disaster relief workers arrived after Hurricane Helen. It took six days to get there, and federal disaster relief officials were not actively checking to see if survivors needed assistance, he said.
Vice President Kamala Harris claimed that FEMA workers were going “door to door” to find survivors in need of assistance, but in North Carolina, storm damage left homes inaccessible by foot or car. This would have been difficult as many, many people were left homeless. houses.
Lawmakers have vowed to investigate FEMA following interviews in Washington.
“Denying FEMA benefits to President Trump's supporters is weaponization of the worst kind. We need full accountability,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) posted on X.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Florida) posted:
It is unacceptable for FEMA to withhold life-saving aid based solely on a person's political beliefs. The hurricane had a severe impact on Pinellas County, resulting in tragic loss of life. This situation is not over yet. We get to the bottom of this and demand full accountability.
Rep. Byron Donald (R-Florida) posted:
Under Harris-Biden, our agencies were weaponized and FEMA workers were told to avoid helping Trump supporters. Under the Trump-Vance administration, FEMA needs to become a rapid response agency that serves all Americans. Under the Trump-Vance administration, this is a time for reform and a time to unite America.
Donald Trump Jr. posted:
When I went to Sarasota Township and the Batcave in North Carolina, the hardest-hit areas, I saw very few FEMA workers, so I knew this was going to happen. Thank God for an incredible network of volunteers, patriots, and great people @SamaritansPurse.
Follow Christina Wong's “X” on Breitbart News. society of truth,or facebook.
