The former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is set to ask a U.S. district judge to clear her in a lawsuit alleging that the agency violated the civil rights of Florida residents who supported President Trump following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
In November, then-Attorney General Ashley Moody initiated legal action against current and former FEMA officials, including fired supervisor Marn’i Washington and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, accusing them of conspiring to discriminate against storm victims based on political affiliation.
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According to whistleblower reports, FEMA workers in Lake Placid, Florida, were instructed to “avoid homes advertising Trump,” resulting in at least 20 homes being skipped for aid distribution from late October into November.
In an interview following these revelations, former FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington maintained that the discriminatory practices were not isolated to Florida, claiming similar behavior occurred in North Carolina and other regions affected by the hurricanes.
“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,” reads part of the legal complaint.
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Moody stated at the time, “Hurricane season is not over, and the federal agency in charge of emergency response is embroiled in scandal – caught withholding aid from storm victims in Florida who support President Trump. I am taking swift legal action to find out how far this political discrimination reaches and to make sure all Americans who fall victim to devastating storms are served, regardless of their political affiliation.”
Governor Ron DeSantis expressed his support for the legal action, declaring, “It’s unacceptable for the federal government to discriminate against Floridians who voted for Trump, and especially egregious in the aftermath of a hurricane. 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.”
The lawsuit seeks a court declaration that the defendants conspired to interfere with the civil rights of Floridians in violation of the deprivation and support or advocacy clauses of 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3).
In addition to nominal damages, the legal action requests punitive damages against Washington and Criswell in their individual capacities.
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