House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has accused a FEMA contractor of pressuring a disabled veteran’s family in Georgia to remove pro-Trump campaign materials from their home. Comer alleged that the contractor implied FEMA supervisors view Trump supporters as “domestic terrorists.” The claim came from a whistleblower who contacted Comer’s office, reporting that the incident took place in early October. The elderly homeowners, concerned that refusing might jeopardize their eligibility for disaster relief, reportedly removed the signs. However, according to Comer, despite complying, FEMA has not returned to assist the family.
“The elderly homeowners were so frightened by this and afraid that they would not recover their loss that they removed the signs,” Comer wrote on X. “Nevertheless, FEMA has not returned to their residence. This took place not in Florida, but Georgia.”
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My staff just made contact with a new whistleblower who provided a credible account that a FEMA contractor visited the home of an elderly disabled veteran’s family around October 10. While there, he recommended that the family remove Trump campaign materials and signs…
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) November 19, 2024
This incident comes amid increased scrutiny of FEMA’s disaster relief operations. On Tuesday, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) opened a hearing on the agency’s practices, questioning whether the reported incident reflects a deeper, systemic issue. While no direct evidence has implicated FEMA leadership, Comer stated that his committee would investigate whether the case is symptomatic of a broader cultural bias within the agency. Comer also linked the incident to a larger critique of what he described as a “rogue” federal workforce working to undermine the policies of elected officials. He pledged to collaborate with the incoming Trump administration to implement reforms aimed at addressing and eliminating such behavior.
“In the wake of Hurricane Milton, at least one FEMA official engaged in political discrimination against supporters of President Trump,” Comer said during Tuesday’s hearing. “This official ordered employees to discriminate against vulnerable Americans affected by a hurricane when they needed assistance the most. This same employee alleged on TV that this was not an isolated event, and that FEMA essentially treats the homes of President Trump’s supporters as if they were homes of people with vicious dogs.” Comer continued, “We only know this because one whistleblower was brave enough to come forward. But others knew about this and said nothing.”
Earlier this month, a FEMA supervisor who instructed relief workers to bypass the homes of Trump’s supporters while distributing hurricane aid in Florida has learned her fate following a Daily Wire report revealing the outrage. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced on Saturday that field supervisor Marn’i Washington was dismissed after directing federal employees under her supervision to “avoid homes advertising Trump” while canvassing Lake Placid, Florida, to identify residents eligible for federal aid. Whistleblowers shared messages with The Daily Wire indicating that these instructions were given both verbally and in writing, as confirmed by multiple government employees.
“More than 22,000 FEMA employees every day adhere to FEMA’s core values and are dedicated to helping people before, during and after disasters, often sacrificing time with their own families to help disaster survivors. Recently, one FEMA employee departed from these values to advise her survivor assistance team to not go to homes with yard signs supporting President-elect Trump,” Criswell said in a statement.
“This is a clear violation of FEMA’s core values and principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation. This was reprehensible. I want to be clear to all of my employees and the American people, this type of behavior and action will not be tolerated at FEMA and we will hold people accountable if they violate these standards of conduct,” she added.
