Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has filed a lawsuit against current and former officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), accusing them of conspiring to discriminate against Florida hurricane victims who displayed support for President-elect Donald Trump.
The legal action follows whistleblower reports that FEMA workers in Lake Placid were instructed to skip households with Trump signs or flags.
RELATED: Congress, Florida Launch Probes Into FEMA Bias Against Trump Supporters In Hurricane Relief Efforts
According to the complaint, former FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington directed FEMA teams to ignore certain storm victims based on their political affiliation. Washington, who was recently fired, claims this kind of political bias is not an isolated incident and has occurred in other states impacted by hurricanes.
“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,” said Moody. “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.”
“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,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis added.
READ: FEMA Official Removed After Telling Relief Workers To Skip Florida Homes That Support Trump
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, seeks to hold FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and former supervisor Washington personally liable, citing violations of civil rights laws. The complaint includes evidence of messages allegedly sent by Washington directing FEMA workers to “avoid homes advertising Trump,” as well as database entries noting, “Trump sign no entry per leadership.”
Washington, who has been fired by FEMA, claims she is being used as a “scapegoat” and that similar actions occurred in other states, including North Carolina. The lawsuit alleges a broader conspiracy among senior FEMA officials to deny aid based on political bias following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
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.’”
READ: Missouri Sen. Hawley Demands Investigation Into Alleged FEMA Bias Against Florida Trump Supporters
Moody’s lawsuit aims to secure both nominal and punitive damages and asks the court to declare that the defendants conspired to interfere with the civil rights of Floridians who support Trump, citing violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3).
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