FEMA Viewed Georgia Hurricane Victims with Trump Signs as ‘Domestic Terrorists’
A new whistleblower has revealed that Hurricane Helene victims in Georgia were treated as “domestic terrorists” by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials if they had signs outside their homes showing support for President Donald Trump.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) revealed Tuesday that the whistleblower stated that citizens were advised to remove pro-Trump signs if they wanted assistance from the taxpayer-funded agency.
According to the whistleblower, a FEMA supervisor was directing families in Georgia to remove Trump signs from their homes, claiming their political beliefs are not “looked kindly” on by the agency.
Comer relayed the whistleblower’s statements during a hearing where lawmakers grilled FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
Criswell was called to testify about an agency employee who told relief workers in Florida to “avoid homes advertising Trump.”
The FEMA chief has maintained that the guidance was an isolated incident and not the result of agency policy to skip over “politically hostile” homes.
However, testimony from Comer and other lawmakers casts doubt on Criswell’s comments.
After the committee came back from recess, Comer told the hearing:
“My staff made contact with a new whistleblower who provided a credible account that a FEMA contractor visited the home of an elderly disabled veteran’s family around October 10 following Hurricane Helene.
“While there he recommended that they remove Trump campaign materials and signs from both their house and yard.
“He warned the family that his FEMA supervisor does not take kindly to Trump supporters and that they are seen as domestic terrorists.”
Comer said that the whistleblower claimed FEMA never returned to the family’s home even after they removed their Trump gear.
“The elderly homeowners were so frightened by this, and afraid they would not recover their loss, that they removed all Trump materials and signs,” the chairman added.
The Oversight Committee called Criswell to testify after whistleblowers revealed that at least 20 homes in Lake Placid were skipped during relief operations after Hurricane Milton.
The homes of those Americans were denied help because they had Trump flags or signs.
Criswell testified for over six hours on Tuesday, facing questions about the guidance.
She claimed to be “heartbroken” by the guidance and said the investigation into the incident was ongoing.
Her testimony contrasted with statements from Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL).
Steube said during the hearing that over 35 of his constituents reached out to him with allegations that FEMA had discriminated against them.
The congressman said his office had information on “specific instances, factual instances, where they were either overlooked or specifically discriminated against because of their political affiliation.”
Criswell confirmed during the hearing that she had asked the Inspector General to launch an independent investigation into the guidance.
She said the IG probe would supplement FEMA’s ongoing internal investigation.
However, Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) said in a statement that she is not happy with Criswell’s answers.
“You have blatant discrimination going on,” McClain said.
“She fired the person who sent out the text, fantastic, but what about all of the layers in between who knew that it was going on.”
McClain said that Criswell was “conveniently” ignorant of details surrounding who was managing Washington and who she answered to.
“There seems to be a lot of unanswered questions with the exception of we fired the person who did it, ” McClain said.
“What enabled, what empowered that person to do that?”
Before testifying before the Oversight Committee, Criswell faced questions from lawmakers on the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
