By CASEY HARPER
The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Deanne Criswell, told lawmakers that she personally approved the firing of an employee who directed FEMA workers to not knock on the doors of those affected by Hurricane Helene if they had Trump signs in their yards.
Helene hit Florida as a Category 4 hurricane and wreaked havoc from Florida up the Eastern United States, killing more than 100 people in North Carolina alone and causing billions of dollars of damage across several states.
In less than two weeks, Hurricane Milton did its own damage in many of the same areas, leaving thousands of Americans needing help.
FEMA, however, has taken fire for its handling of the storms as well as its ongoing funding to help illegal immigrants.
In particular, The Daily Wire first broke news showing screenshots of text messages from a FEMA employee telling about a dozen workers under her supervision to avoid visiting houses with Trump signs.
The text message instructed workers that its “best practices” include avoiding “Trump homes.”
Criswell began her remarks at the hearing saying she does not believe this employee is representative of a broader problem in the agency but acknowledged it is investigating more.
She pledged to make sure nothing like this happens again and said a team went back to the homes skipped over.
However, the employee in question told the media that she was only following orders from higher up the chain.
“Since being fired, this supervisor has made multiple media appearances claiming she was following direction from above and that the practice is widespread,” House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky. said.
“So, the question is this: from FEMA’s perspective, was her main offense not only saying the quiet part out loud, but that she put it in writing?” he added, apparently referring to the text messages.
U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Penn., referenced the fired employee’s claims, adding that “independently we’ve heard reports of similar practices in places like North Carolina” and that the employee said she was following orders and the FEMA culture.
House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, pressed Criswell on the issue, pointing out that another anonymous FEMA source backed up the fired employee’s claims about getting orders from higher up.
“She said it’s common practice, you said it’s reprehensible and isolated,” Jordan said. “Both statements can’t be true…”
Perry demanded answers about the internal investigation into FEMA, and compelled Criswell to eventually promise to request an investigation from the inspector general.
“What has your investigation gleaned regarding [the fired employee’s] direct supervisors,” Perry asked Criswell. “Have you questioned them and what have your answers been.
Criswell said they have been questioned but said they denied the employee’s claims.
Comer pointed to Trump’s promise to bring the federal government into check. Trump’s cabinet nominees, billionaires Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, have promised to significantly cut back federal agencies and even eliminate some outright.
“The current system does not have strong enough mechanisms to ensure accountability. The disciplinary system is run by and for civil servants to protect civil servants,” Comer said.
“President Trump has pledged to take action to bring accountability to the federal workforce and ensure there are measures in place to appropriately deal with poor performers and those who actively resist implementing the policies of a duly elected president,” he noted.
She will get a raise of metal in the paddle on the back. Nothing will be done about the political divide.
Trump was saying fema wasn’t even in the Carolinas. Guess he was mistaken.
Fema was there in body only, they did very little. Private citizens were the real heroes.
Article was not about Trump in any way.
Seriously. Aren’t you late to the taping of today’s episode of the View?
Dude, i can’t stand that show. This article is about fema, and I use every opportunity I can to bring trump into the conversation, or at least every time he screws up.
You cant stand that show but you consistently repeat their same narrative…trump trump trump.
Get a clue or stay with the view and cry trump trump trump like a child screaming for ice cream.
And I will continue until he can no longer hurt America.
Sitting there, raving at your monitor, spittle likely flying off your lips as you type in yet another diatribe about Trump. As if anyone is going to change their mind in any way.
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And, you do not see how that is EXACTLY what the View is?
Just difference of opinion. Like you and the Bush family. Why make it personal son?
Every opportunity to bring Trump into the conversation in a negative light is different from the View… exactly how?
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When you walk, talk, and act like a duck, I will call you a duck.
MRAK has an article about how the Anchorage Assembly passed the largest budget ever. Better get over there and post a comment about Trump. If anyone can find a connection, you can.
You’re not even valid no name, or is it vlad?
Gregg they sent like 4 people. Fema did not have enough resources, they stated they were too busy at the border. It was every day citizens such as the Cajun navy and cajun Air force which did femas job. It was all over social media.
I know that a lot of private citizens helped in. I know of a helicopter pilot down here myself that flew multiple times into it.
Add FEMA to the growing list of US government agencies that are corrupt and incompetent: FBI, DOJ, Federal DOT, Secret Service, and on and on and on….
If, after this, you still think the Government should take over healthcare, you are a special kind of stupid.
You are anti anything. Anti bj, anti ice cream, anything.
Are you implying that you want the Federal Government to take over the healthcare system? Or expand their day to day life in the average citizens in any way?
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Knowing that the government is staffed by people just like you and I, complete with the biases and prejudices and tendency to use power for negative purposes is not “anti everything.” It is rational and adult.
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Rely on a bureaucracy for your emergency preparations, get what you deserve, politicized support, inefficient response, and excessive costs. Thinking that any other service would be different is stupid.
“I was only following orders”. That was the refrain of NAZI death camp guards. Now those who call conservative’s nazi say they were “only following orders”. And Sweet Lisa Murkowski backs everything they do. And Alaska keeps on electing her. What a great state. And to all of you “conservative’s” who were too proud to vote, thanks for nothing. I hope you choke on your “pride”.
That will be the defense of many Trump peeps in a few years.
Accountability. Every supervisor above Marn’i Washington who created this stealth policy should also be fired. And the group think that believes that every Trump supporter is somehow a danger should be wiped out. We are ALL Americans. Imagine the hue and cry if this had been policy during a disaster under a Republican administration. Now, layer that over the current and outgoing administration. This is indeed outrageous to discriminate based on politics against Americans during a disaster who need help the most. Shame!
People need to go to jail for this
Wielding FEMA as a political tool. Completely abolish the entire agency.
Show me any federal agency that hasnt been corrupted by the Obama/Obiden regime???
This is the “Change” we were promised that started in 2008.
It can only be completed by “minoritizing” the white conservative population…(or any one else that goes along with them).
Just this morning, trump calls for the change and ruling.
That the media we’ll need to divulge theirs sources from now on. So according to trump, he doesn’t think the protection of unnamed sources should continue. I wonder what the media is going to say about that. Perhaps it’s just another power, grab and trump trying to do expand the kingdom. I hope this will be reported on so that there can be an expanded discussion about it.
I just checked my watch and thought you were a bit tardy with your latest diatribe about how awful Trump is going to be, but then I scrolled down. Thanks for not disappointing.
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