Exclusive: FEMA Workers Improperly Collected Data About Politics of Disaster Victims

Racket News ^ | 10/20/2025 | Matt Taibbi

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Joe Biden and former FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell in Florida after Hurricane Milton last year

Last November 8th, on the Saturday after Election Day, one of the more bizarre post-scripts to Donald Trump’s re-election emerged in the form of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) decision to sideline one official accused of telling FEMA workers to “avoid homes advertising Trump” while canvassing for victims of Hurricane Milton in Florida. The Daily Wire spoke to multiple FEMA officials who produced screenshots of entries like “Trump sign, no contact per leadership”:

The most painful confirmation, however, came from then-FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who testified after the election that the episode was an “isolated incident,” as well as “unacceptable” and “heartbreaking,” suggesting the problem was limited to one eventually-terminated Disaster Survivor Assistance crew leader named Marn’i Washington, adding: “I do not believe that this employee’s actions are indicative of any widespread cultural problems at FEMA.”

Washington didn’t take the CYA maneuver lying down. She made a series of aggressive media appearances, saying repeatedly “my orders come from my superior” from above when instructing subordinates to avoid homes that made some FEMA workers “uncomfortable” by featuring Trump paraphernalia:

The Democrats generally maintained that decisions to skip over houses featuring Trump signs or signs about guns were legit and safety-based. Republicans blasted FEMA workers for comparing Trump voters to “vicious dogs” and suggested instructions like “Per leadership no stop Trump flag,” and “Trump sign, no contact per leadership” were indicative of a wider problem.

A year later, the Privacy Office of the Department of Homeland Security is releasing a review of that episode, the broader issue of using disaster relief work to collect political intelligence...

[MtnClimber]

Every branch of government was weaponized against conservatives. If this was reversed we would never hear the end of it.

[Nicojones]

The supervisors that pushed these policies should be prosecuted by our new DOJ. Why haven’t charges already been brought?

[riverrunner]

I would settle for Disbanding FEMA

[decal]

“...we would never hear the end of it.”

We won’t hear the end of it anyway so we may as well be damned for a goat as a sheep.

Weaponize AWAY!!!

Read the tagline and heed it.

[vpintheak]

I am for reforming FEMA in the same way I am for reforming the VA.
Both agencies SHOULD simply be similar to an insurance policy. You need assistance, and they pay. Go get help from those who can help you and they will provide financial backup and help. That would both retain the spirit of both agencies, and allow for better, faster help to those who need it.

[tumblindice]

FEMA should be on the chopping block, seeing as it is an intelligence-gathering arm of the democrats.
Give their budgeted funds to the state, with any states suffering (non-mostly peaceful protest) damages access, like a common fund.
No democrat involvement.

[who knows what evil?]

FEMA is a four-letter word in Appalachia after Helene...what a clusterf*ck.

[who knows what evil?]

FEMA is a four-letter word in Appalachia after Helene...what a clusterf*ck.

[Pete Dovgan]

Every branch of government was weaponized against conservatives. If this was reversed we would never hear the end of it.

Yes, We had a KING. His name was Obama/Biden. During that time we were taxed and attacked, with no respect for the rule of law or the Constitution. Those that wanted Obama/Biden King rule are now upset it’s gone....

[EnderWiggin1970]

We had disasters before FEMA existed. The Constitution could have been written to authorize the government to provide disaster relief - and the Founders chose not to. They understood that the role of government is to govern, not to fix every problem in existence.

As de Toqueville noted, early America was filled with organizations focused on pursuing missions of charity and help in a multitude of ways. People could freely choose to support which to support and to which degree. When I became a conservative I learned this was the key difference between a conservative and a liberal. Liberals think central government is the solution to all problems, and thus endlessly seek to crush or control all smaller institutions. (The "No Kings" movement is thus hilariously hypocritical.) Whereas actual conservatives will seek to limit government to its proper role of law enforcement and defense on the smallest budget possible, so that people retain the most of their own wealth possible to pursue their own agendas such as disaster relief.

I'm a volunteer firefighter, worked on a tornado disaster relief team, have volunteered at food pantries, support a range of charities financially. That's all possible because of the freedom the founders gave us. Let leftist implement their vision of central control and nothing will be left except empty promises and corrupt bureaucrats stealing every penny devoted to supposedly fixing problems.

[jjotto]

Davey Crockett’s ‘Sockdolager Speech’ to Congress around 1829 would get him expelled from the House today:

https://mises.org/articles-interest/not-yours-give

[vpintheak]

I get that, and agree. If it is to exist though, make it like I wrote.