Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is urging President Joe Biden and FEMA leadership to ensure that all evidence related to the agency’s apparent discrimination against Floridians who support Donald Trump and were impacted by Hurricane Milton is preserved, according to a letter to the White House obtained by The Daily Wire on Saturday.
DeSantis’s office is demanding that Biden, FEMA, and DHS take “immediate steps” to preserve all records and documentation related to the incident, including any communications between FEMA, DHS, and other federal entities that “could provide evidence of partisan bias in the denial of disaster benefits.”
“I have been made aware of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) politicization of hurricane recovery assistance in Florida. Specifically, FEMA’s actions withholding federal assistance for disaster impacted Floridians based on political affiliation,” wrote Kevin Guthrie, the executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
“As you know, FEMA plays a critical role in assisting individuals and communities during times of disaster and crisis,” continued Guthrie, who signed himself as the governor’s authorized representative. “It is essential that the Agency’s actions be fair, impartial, and focused on the needs of those affected, notwithstanding their political beliefs; any actions otherwise erode credibility with the public that we are entrusted to serve.”
“As the Executive Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), it is my duty to faithfully serve all Floridians and ensure that every individual gets the aid that they deserve, notwithstanding their individual beliefs—political or otherwise,” Guthrie added. The letter includes a copy of a damning report from The Daily Wire, based on internal correspondence and confirmation from multiple federal employees, revealing that a federal disaster relief official instructed workers to bypass the homes of Americans displaying flags or signs supporting Donald Trump while providing aid to those affected by Hurricane Milton.
In his letter to FEMA and the White House, Guthrie said, “These actions undermine public trust in our recovery efforts.” He added: “Given the significant impact these decisions have on individuals and communities—many of whom are already vulnerable in the wake of a disaster—it is imperative that the full scope of any such misconduct be investigated and addressed.”