Lafayette Reporter

Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has joined forces with Senators Ted Budd and Thom Tillis from North Carolina in seeking explanations from FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. The inquiry stems from allegations that a FEMA employee intentionally avoided providing assistance to victims of Hurricane Milton based on their political support for President-Elect Donald Trump.

In a letter, the senators expressed concern over reports suggesting that "a U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employee advised disaster assistance teams in Florida responding to Hurricane Milton to avoid homes that had yard signs supporting President-Elect Donald Trump."

The senators criticized the alleged actions as "unacceptable and frankly reprehensible," emphasizing that such behavior undermines FEMA's mission to deliver disaster relief impartially. They highlighted the importance of ensuring all Americans receive aid regardless of political affiliation, noting, "While there are many dedicated public servants who are working around the clock to help disaster survivors at their most vulnerable point, it is clear that FEMA has fallen well short of its core mission."

The letter further stated concerns about taxpayer-funded resources being potentially withheld due to political bias: "The idea that citizens, whose tax dollars fund FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund (DFR) and pay FEMA officials’ salaries, may be purposely excluded from vitally needed aid is chilling and further erodes many people’s already tenuous trust in this administration." The senators called for "answers, accountability, and transparency" from FEMA.

The group is requesting information on several points: how many houses were bypassed during Hurricane Milton's response; when FEMA became aware of the misconduct; what investigative steps will be taken regarding claims of politically motivated avoidance; and what laws might have been violated by these actions.

Additional signatories to the letter include Senators Mike Braun, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, John Cornyn, Shelley Moore Capito, Joni Ernst, Bill Hagerty, John Hoeven, James Lankford, Roger Marshall, Pete Ricketts, Jim Risch, Dan Sullivan along with Rick Scott and Tim Scott.

The full content of the letter can be accessed through official channels.