DeSantis to suport legal action against FEMA in Florida

CV NEWS FEED //  Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced his support for Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s plans to take legal action against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over the scandal of relief workers allegedly neglecting the homes of Trump supporters in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

DeSantis also encouraged state agencies in Florida to investigate and look into instances of similar behavior by the federal government over the past few months.

“It’s unacceptable for the federal government to discriminate against Floridians who voted for Trump, and especially egregious in the aftermath of a hurricane,” DeSantis wrote in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter):

I’m supportive of this legal action by the Attorney General’s Office, and I have instructed state agencies to likewise take any action necessary to investigate and ensure those who engaged in this behavior are held accountable.

FEMA has faced intense backlash after it was revealed that some Florida residents were “avoided” by FEMA workers if the hurricane victims displayed signs in favor of then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump outside their homes. 

>>> RELATED: FEMA fires supervisor who told hurricane relief workers not to help Trump supporters>>>

Moody wrote about her plans to take legal action against FEMA in her own post on X.

“Hurricane season is not over, and the federal agency in charge of emergency response is embroiled in scandal – withholding aid from storm victims in Florida who support @realDonaldTrump,” wrote Moody:

I am taking swift legal action to find out how far FEMA’s political discrimination reaches and to make sure ALL Americans who fall victim to devastating storms are served, regardless of their political affiliation.

FEMA has since fired a supervisor, Marn’i Washington, who was responsible for sending internal memos that instructed FEMA workers to avoid homes in Florida that displayed Trump signage. 

As CatholicVote previously reported, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell labeled the memo as a “violation,” and “reprehensible.”

“This is a clear violation of FEMA’s core values and principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation,” wrote Criswell:

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.

During an interview with journalist Roland Martin, Washington claimed that she was being used as a scapegoat for wider FEMA policies that go far beyond her limited reach:

“FEMA always preaches avoidance first and then de-escalation,” said Washington, “so this is not isolated, this is a colossal event of avoidance not just in the state of Florida, but you will find avoidance in the Carolinas.”

Washington also claimed that higher-ups were lying about their knowledge of FEMA practices.

“Senior leadership will lie to you and tell you that they do not know,” she said. “But if you ask the DSA crew leads and specialists what they are experiencing in the field they will tell you ‘demand for FEMA to give you those incident reports.’”

>>> RELATED: Fired supervisor claims FEMA had policy of avoiding Trump-supporting hurricane victims not only in Florida, but in Carolinas <<<

AG Moody’s press release of the filed legal complaint stated:

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 to violate the civil rights of Florida citizens.

The complaint goes on to say, “FEMA workers followed these instructions and entered in a government database messages such as ‘Trump sign no entry per leadership.’ According to whistleblowers, ‘at least 20 homes with Trump signs or flags’ in Lake Placid, Florida ‘were skipped from the end of October and into November due to the guidance.’”

Moody said she the state is also seeking damages and punitive action against FEMA for its conduct in Florida:

Through this legal action, Attorney General Moody is asking the court to declare that the defendants conspired to interfere with the civil rights of Floridians who support Trump in violation of the deprivation clause and the support or advocacy clause of 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3). The legal action also seeks nominal and punitive damages against the defendants in their individual capacities.