House Committee To Meet With Marn’i Washington

By
Rachel Stevenson
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Oh, the irony of a federal agency tasked with disaster relief actively discriminating against Americans based on political preferences. The case of former FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington—who allegedly ordered relief workers to skip homes displaying Trump flags or signs—has all the makings of a bad satire. But unfortunately, it’s real, and the House Homeland Security Committee is now digging into the scandal. Spoiler alert: it’s not looking good for FEMA or Washington.

Here’s what we know: Washington, now fired, claims FEMA made her the fall guy—or fall gal, in this case—for what she describes as a widespread agency policy. Her directive for workers in Lake Placid, Florida, after Hurricane Milton was apparently to avoid homes “advertising Trump.”

Why? Because FEMA supposedly doesn’t like dealing with “politically hostile” homes. Let that sink in. Disaster survivors—people who’ve just lost everything—were passed over for aid because they dared to support the former president. Nothing says “government for the people,” quite like skipping over hurricane victims because their political sign rubbed someone the wrong way.

Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green (R-TN) isn’t letting this slide. He’s called for Washington to testify and explain her claims, particularly the idea that this wasn’t just one rogue incident but part of a broader FEMA culture. If true, this isn’t just incompetence—it’s a blatant violation of the First Amendment and a stunning betrayal of public trust. Green rightly pointed out that Americans should never face discrimination for their political beliefs, especially when a hurricane has flattened their homes.

And here’s the kicker: whistleblowers are backing up Washington’s claims. According to reports, FEMA’s partisan antics weren’t limited to Florida. In North Carolina, entire neighborhoods were allegedly skipped if workers saw three or more Trump signs. Let’s be clear—this wasn’t about efficiency. This was about petty politics. Add to that a report from Georgia, where a FEMA supervisor reportedly told a family to remove their Trump campaign sign if they wanted help. It’s starting to sound less like a “one-off” incident and more like a systemic issue.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell tried to do damage control during congressional testimony, claiming this was an isolated incident. But how many “isolated” incidents does it take before we call it a pattern? The agency revisited the skipped homes in Lake Placid after the story broke, but the damage was done. Imagine being in the middle of a natural disaster and realizing your government won’t help you because of your lawn sign. That’s the stuff of dystopian fiction—only it’s happening in real life.

Congressional Republicans are right to press for answers. If FEMA has been engaging in politically motivated discrimination, it’s a scandal of epic proportions. Taxpayer dollars fund FEMA’s operations, and last I checked, Trump supporters are taxpayers, too. The idea that a government agency would use political affiliation as a filter for disaster relief is appalling—and deeply un-American.

So what’s next? Hopefully, more whistleblowers will come forward to shed light on this mess, and lawmakers will hold FEMA accountable. One thing’s for sure: any agency or official playing politics with disaster relief doesn’t just deserve a congressional grilling—they deserve to be out of a job, just like Washington. But something tells me this story is far from over. Stay tuned—there’s likely more to uncover in FEMA’s not-so-impartial playbook.

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