Palmetto State News

U.S. Senator Tim Scott, alongside Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, has raised concerns about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following reports of political bias in disaster relief efforts. A letter was sent to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell regarding allegations that a FEMA employee instructed teams to avoid homes displaying support for President-elect Donald Trump during Hurricane Milton recovery operations in Florida.

The senators emphasized FEMA's mission of assisting people before, during, and after disasters. They criticized any withholding of aid based on political affiliation as "unacceptable and frankly reprehensible." The letter expressed concern over claims that these instructions came from supervisors at FEMA, suggesting potential politicization within the agency.

While acknowledging Criswell's swift action in condemning these actions and terminating the responsible employee, the senators noted further claims by the former employee indicating similar incidents occurred in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. They stressed the importance of transparency and accountability within FEMA to restore public trust.

The letter concluded with a demand for answers and a commitment from Congress members to ensure accountability and prevent any form of discrimination against American citizens seeking disaster relief.

Senators Mike Braun, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, John Cornyn, Shelley Moore Capito, Joni Ernst, Bill Hagerty, John Hoeven, John Kennedy, James Lankford, Roger Marshall, Pete Ricketts, Jim Risch, Dan Sullivan, and Rick Scott also supported this initiative.