- The Washington Times - Friday, November 8, 2024

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday ordered an investigation into reports that workers with the Federal Emergency Management Agency are skipping the homes of President-elect Donald Trump’s supporters while surveying damage from Hurricane Milton.

Mr. DeSantis wrote on X that he directed the state’s Division of Emergency Management to probe “the federal government’s targeted discrimination of Floridians who support Donald Trump.” 

“The blatant weaponization of government by partisan activists in the federal bureaucracy is yet another reason why the Biden-Harris administration is in its final days,” Mr. DeSantis wrote. “New leadership is on the way in DC, and I’m optimistic that these partisan bureaucrats will be fired.” 

Mr. DeSanits was writing in response to a report by The Daily Wire that a FEMA supervisor told workers to “avoid homes advertising Trump” as they surveyed the damage in Lake Placid, Florida, to identify residents who would require federal aid.

The supervisor, Marn’i Washington, told workers this both verbally and in a group chat used by the team, The Daily Wire reported, citing multiple government employees.

FEMA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Times. 

Government workers told the outlet that at least 20 homes with Trump signs or flags were skipped from the end of October and into November because of the order. That means the Trump supporters were not notified or given the opportunity to apply for FEMA assistance.

One worker wrote in the government system messages such as “Trump sign no entry per leadership,” according to the report.

There was no explanation for the guidance. 

The FEMA workers were ordered not to help homes with Trump signs while working in Highlands County, a deep-red area of Florida that backed Mr. Trump by 70% on Tuesday. 

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.

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