Congress grills FEMA following alleged discrimination against Trump supporters

Congress grilled Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell on Tuesday afternoon regarding allegations of political discrimination and the agency's request for $40 billion in disaster relief funds.

During a House Transportation and Infrastructure hearing, Criswell was questioned about a now-terminated hurricane relief supervisor, Marn'i Washington, who admitted to instructing workers to avoid homes with signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump during the relief efforts following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

'This is pretty hard to defend.'

FEMA has repeatedly insisted that the situation was isolated, but Washington has argued that she is being used as a "scapegoat," claiming that the instruction to skip certain homes was not an isolated incident.

During Tuesday's hearing, Criswell told Congress, "I do not believe that this employee's actions are indicative of any widespread cultural problems at FEMA. FEMA, however, has taken appropriate action to ensure that this matter is fully investigated, and I am committed to ensuring that nothing like this ever happens again."

According to Criswell, the agency's "ongoing investigation," which includes questioning personnel in the chain of command above Washington, has yielded "no information at this point that there was anything beyond her [Washington's] direction to her employees to skip and bypass a home."

Criswell agreed to request an outside investigation from FEMA's Office of Inspector General.

FEMA is requesting that Congress provide $40 billion for disaster relief to last through the upcoming year. Amid the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the agency has highlighted its depleted resources for emergency responses.

Several Republican Congress members pressed Criswell about the agency's request for additional funding while its Shelter and Services Program continues to provide extensive free services to illegal aliens.

In response, the FEMA administrator redirected the criticism back at Congress, pointing out that the legislative body had created the program and mandated the agency oversee it.

Rep. Marcus Molinaro (R-N.Y.) challenged Criswell's defense, calling it the "easiest and most disingenuous argument."

"You administer the one department in domestic policy that has to triage and to set priorities — your department," Molinaro stated. "You are empowered and your department is empowered to decide what of the programs you're running today should take precedence or priority over the others. Yes, sure. We can pass a law that limits the Shelter and Services funding, that stops dollars getting to illegal immigrants, but you have to make that decision every day."

Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) questioned Criswell about 20 Hurricane Katrina infrastructure projects funded and never completed by FEMA.

"How, 20 years later, are there still unresolved projects from Katrina?" Ezell asked. "This is pretty hard to defend."

Ezell called FEMA's failure to complete the projects "simply outrageous."

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