FEMA cleared of wrongdoing in probe into anti-Trump bias
According to a Justice Department email in the document, a FEMA probe investigating bias against Trump-supporting homes allegedly displayed by a Florida-based FEMA employee in the wake of Hurricane Milton and Helene 'found no evidence that this was a systemic problem, nor that it was directed by agency or field leadership.'
The document came as part of a case in which Florida sued former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and the employee, Marn'i Washington, but Florida and Criswell have now come to a settlement.
Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), then the Sunshine State's attorney general, alleged late last year that Criswell 'agreed' to refuse Trump supporters relief with Washington, who was terminated.
'While the facts will continue to come out over the weeks and months, it is already clear that Defendant Washington conspired with senior FEMA officials, as well as those carrying out her orders, to violate the civil rights of Florida citizens,' read Moody's November complaint.
A few days before the original Florida complaint in the case, Criswell publicly confirmed the termination of Washington and criticized the alleged behavior of Washington.
'This is a clear violation of FEMA's core values and principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation. This was reprehensible,' Criswell said in a November statement.
Washington said in a previous interview that it was usual practice to skip specific streets following prior 'hostile' interactions and that FEMA was throwing her under the bus.
'They all alleged that these actions were made on my own recognizance and that it was from my own political advances. However, if you look at the record, there is what we call a community trend. And unfortunately, it just so happened that the political hostility that was encountered by my team — and I was on two different teams during this deployment — they just so happened to have the Trump campaign signage,' Washington said previously.
The Hill has reached out to Washington, FEMA and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier for comment.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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