Florida Files Lawsuit Against FEMA for Discrimination

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has filed a lawsuit against FEMA officials, claiming they discriminated against hurricane victims who displayed support for President Trump. The lawsuit arises from reports indicating that FEMA workers were instructed to avoid homes with Trump signs during relief efforts following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, allegedly skipping at least 20 homes in Lake Placid. Moody's legal action seeks punitive damages and accountability for what she describes as a violation of civil rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3). FEMA has acknowledged that a supervisor directed workers to ignore politically affiliated homes and has since fired that supervisor, Marn’i Washington. Governor Ron DeSantis has publicly supported Moody's initiative, labeling the alleged conduct as egregious in the context of disaster recovery. The lawsuit aims to investigate the extent of this political bias in FEMA's disaster response protocol.