In The News

By Zack Budryk

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell said Tuesday she would call for an Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation into an employee directing personnel to bypass houses with Trump campaign signs during the federal response to Hurricane Helene.

Testifying before the House Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management on Tuesday, Criswell reiterated that she had ensured the employee was fired over the order, which she called “completely at odds with FEMA’s mission” and that such orders “will not be tolerated at FEMA.”

Criswell said she did not believe the orders, directed to an 11-person team, were indicative of wider practices and said that all the residences bypassed as a result had since been visited.

Subcommittee Chair Scott Perry (R-Pa.) referred to assertions by the fired employee that she was following orders from supervisors at FEMA and asked for details of the internal investigation as well as any pending OIG investigation.

“The IG has not of yet stated they want to investigate this, but I highly encourage them to take on this case and look and see if this was a widespread issue or if this was just a single incident,” Criswell said. Pressed by Perry on whether the investigation included the employee’s former superiors, Criswell said the investigation had thus far found no evidence that the orders were dictated from any higher up the chain of command.

“I would welcome an investigation by the IG,” she added, clarifying, “I will request one” when Perry followed up.

Criswell is slated to testify later Tuesday before the House Oversight Committee regarding the same issue.

Marn’i Washington, the fired employee, told NewsNation’s Dan Abrams on Monday she had been “framed” and denied violating the Hatch Act, which restricts political activity by government employees. She went on to claim, “I execute orders. I don’t create policy.”