Residents of Lake Placid, Florida, were stunned to discover that their homes were bypassed by federal disaster relief workers because of a directive from a FEMA supervisor instructing workers to ignore houses displaying Trump flags or signs.
The revelation, first reported by whistleblowers to The Daily Wire, exposed that more than 20 homes were skipped in late October and early November following the devastation caused by Hurricane Milton.
Angela Wrench, whose home was damaged by tornadoes linked to the hurricane, voiced her disbelief, stating that her property had been overlooked simply because of a Trump flag in her yard. Speaking to local news outlet WFLA, she said, “I think it’s horrible. I think it’s a horrible thing that anybody thought that was OK. We pay our taxes. We have just as much right to that money as anyone. It shouldn’t have anything to do with our political beliefs, none whatsoever.”
Wrench noted that FEMA workers arrived at her property a day after The Daily Wire’s report went public. When she asked if their visit was motivated by the news coverage, a FEMA worker confirmed that it was.
FEMA’s prompt reaction to the controversy included the dismissal of Marn’i Washington, the supervisor behind the directive. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell emphasized that the agency believed the incident to be isolated.
Yet, residents and officials alike expressed concern over the implications of such political bias infiltrating disaster relief efforts. Jack Wolfe, another Lake Placid resident, remarked, “It was disappointing. I know that there’s a lot of people with a lot of emotions when it comes to this time of year for election, and I don’t think it should matter how you voted or who you are.”
Local leaders and federal representatives voiced their outrage. Congressman Scott Franklin, who represents the district, condemned the directive as “utterly disgusting.” He encouraged residents to reach out to his office if they encountered any further issues with FEMA, and called for a comprehensive investigation into the agency’s practices.
Franklin commended the whistleblower who exposed the directive and urged FEMA to take responsibility for ensuring such actions would not recur. “FEMA must conduct a full investigation,” he stated. “Similar reports have surfaced across the state, and those responsible must be held accountable.”
Highlands County Commissioner Chris Campbell echoed these sentiments, stressing the importance of impartiality in disaster relief. He assured residents that FEMA workers would “knock on every door, whether they applied for assistance or not, whether they received it or not, and just go through the process,” to prevent any potential oversight.