In an interview with The Daily Wire, House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) revealed that the committee had obtained evidence that there is a “pattern” of discriminating against conservatives at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Contradicting claims from FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, Comer revealed to Ben Shapiro that he had conversations with multiple FEMA employees who allegedly confirmed claims from fired FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington about there being a widespread understanding at the agency to “avoid homes advertising Trump.”
Washington was fired from FEMA late last month after she was caught sending a text message to her employees telling them to “avoid” homes with campaign signs supporting President Donald Trump. Following her firing, Washington insisted in an interview that this was a common practice among FEMA employees, and was not an isolated incident like the agency’s leadership claimed.
Criswell, who is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday, has repeatedly insisted that Washington’s orders to her employees were an “isolated” incident and not standard practice at FEMA.
“The employee who issued this guidance had no authority and was given no direction to tell teams to avoid these homes and we are reaching out to the people who may have not been reached as a result of this incident,” the FEMA administrator claimed in a statement announcing that Washington had been fired.
The House Oversight Committee initiated an investigation into the matter after The Daily Wire learned from whistleblowers that the homes of at least 20 Trump supporters in Lake Placid, Florida, were skipped over by FEMA during Hurricane Milton relief operations.
“We fear that this isn’t an isolated incident. We believe this is a pattern,” Comer said during the interview on “The Ben Shapiro Show,” which was released on Monday. “We’ve spoken with other employees who haven’t yet come forward, but have provided some information that this is the way FEMA operates, that they do discriminate against Republicans, against conservatives, against people in more prominent neighborhoods.”
Comer further explained that the House Oversight Committee plans to interview Washington after she admitted that the agency has a widespread policy of avoiding what they call “politically hostile” homes.
“FEMA always preaches avoidance first and then de-escalation, so this is not isolated,” she told Roland Martin in an interview last week. “This is a colossal event of avoidance not just in the state of Florida, but you will find avoidance in the Carolinas.”
WOW. The recently fired FEMA crew leader, Marn'i Washington, claims FEMA leadership is making her the scapegoat of a wider scandal of avoidance of helping certain victims based on political beliefs:
"FEMA preaches avoidance first, and then de-escalation. This is not isolated.… pic.twitter.com/RyV2wNJKlp
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) November 12, 2024
Referring to her comments, Comer argued that the guidance was clearly pervasive within the federal agencies since they were taken over by the radical left.
“I think every government agency, whether it’s FEMA, whether it’s the EPA, whether it’s the FBI, whether it’s the Securities and Exchange Commission,” Comer said. “I think every agency in the federal government is populated with left-wing activists that have risen to the top.”
EXCLUSIVE: @RepJamesComer previews @GOPoversight hearing with FEMA administrator following @realDailyWire reporting on FEMA's discrimination against Trump supporters.
Comer reveals: "We believe this a pattern. We've spoken with other employees… This is the way FEMA operates." pic.twitter.com/2uPiOPmHom
— The Ben Shapiro Show (@BenShapiroShow) November 18, 2024
