FEMA fires 3 supervisors in wake of Hurricane Milton political discrimination

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has fired three supervisors connected to a political discrimination scandal following Hurricane Milton.

Cameron Hamilton, a senior official performing the duties of FEMA Administrator, informed U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, the Co-Chair of Florida’s congressional delegation, of the firings in a letter dated March 4.

The terminations followed an investigation showing that FEMA workers providing ground support to hurricane victims skipped past 20 homes because they had signs on display supporting President Donald Trump’s campaign. The three recent firings were in addition to FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington, who was let go immediately after revelations of the bias shown.

“This action has been taken both because of their failure to meet our standards of conduct and because it is essential that the entire workforce understand that this incident was reprehensible, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated at FEMA,” Hamilton wrote.

The Daily Wire first reported in November on instructions to skip homes supportive of the then-Republican presidential nominee. Shortly after, Buchanan led a letter signed by 54 members of Congress, including 15 others from Florida’s congressional delegation, demanding an explanation.

Buchanan welcomed the news of accountability.

“FEMA’s decision to terminate additional workers and implement a new mandatory training is a step in the right direction, but it should never have come to this,” Buchanan said.

“Disaster relief should be delivered based on need, not politics. The fact that Floridians were denied help in their time of crisis is outrageous and completely unacceptable. I’m encouraged by the Trump administration’s efforts to correct for this egregious behavior and ensure that it never happens again.”

Former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell testified to Congress last year that the skipping of homes violated federal practices and the agency’s principles. She issued a memo to employees following a Daily Wire story that places responsibility on a single supervisor and said similar behavior “will not be tolerated at FEMA.” Criswell, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, departed her position at the start of Trump’s term and a replacement has not been named.

Hamilton stressed in her letter to Buchanan that FEMA’s internal investigation found no evidence of a systematic problem and that the skipping of homes wasn’t directed by an agency head or field leadership.

“However, it did determine that those in the immediate supervisor chain of the single staff member who engaged in this conduct should have had more direct control of their subordinates’ behavior,” Hamilton’s letter reads. “Thus, they have failed to meet my expectations of leaders in this organization and have been terminated.”

Hamilton said no political discrimination will be tolerated under Trump or Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem, who oversees FEMA.

“In accordance with my commitment, and that of President Trump and Secretary Noem, to ensure that Americans receive impartial assistance from FEMA, I have directed a comprehensive additional training for FEMA staff to reinforce that political affiliation should never be considered in the rendering of assistance,” Hamilton wrote.

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