The former FEMA boss who was fired after ordering volunteers not to provide help to homes displaying Trump signs in Florida post-Hurricane Milton has defended her actions, claiming that this directive was not an isolated case. She stated that a similar approach was also implemented in North Carolina and not just in Florida.
Marn'i Washington has claimed that FEMA officials are "lying" about the controversy surrounding her firing, saying that they were "appalled" by her actions to deflect blame. She is insisting that she was made a scapegoat to send a message to President-elect Donald Trump, suggesting that FEMA officials wanted Trump to know they feared potential backlash from him.
Defending Herself
Washington and her team of volunteers were in Lake Placid, Florida, helping residents after hurricanes Helene and Milton, which claimed over 254 lives. A leaked message, however, revealed that Washington had ordered her team to "avoid homes advertising Trump" as they went door-to-door to help victims.
Speaking to The Daily Mail, Washington said that she's now seeking legal action, citing concerns about her safety due to the backlash. She also claims to possess evidence proving that FEMA's account of events is misleading, claiming, "I have information that proves FEMA is lying."
FEMA has tried to distance itself from Washington in response to widespread outrage over her alleged bias and discrimination within the nation's emergency agency, which would not be tolerated.
"This is a clear violation of FEMA's core values and principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation," FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said, adding, "This employee has been terminated and we have referred the matter to the Office of Special Counsel.
"I will continue to do everything I can to make sure this never happens again." The disturbing order was reportedly issued in late October, when Washington, 39, was working with a FEMA team in the central Florida town following Hurricane Milton.
Washington told Roland Martin Unfiltered that when she issued the directive, she was simply following FEMA's own protocol.
"FEMA preaches avoidance first, and then de-escalation. This is not isolated. This is a colossal event of avoidance. Not just in the state of Florida. You will find avoidance in the Carolinas," she revealed.
Counter Allegations
Washington said that she had encountered hostility in certain Florida neighborhoods during the post-hurricane cleanup, noting that a recurring pattern was the presence of Trump signs outside these homes.
"If you look at the record there is what you call a community trend... the political hostility that was encountered by my team, they just so happened to have the Trump campaign signage."
"If we are noticing on, for example, Mary Street, and we're greeted with unwelcomed arms or people are coming out with guns blazing screaming at us, then that's a street we need to avoid altogether."
Washington said that she hadn't even voted in the recent election, as she was focused on helping with the cleanup, and insisted she would never let political beliefs affect her duties. Instead, she said that her directive was purely about ensuring the safety of her team members.
"Not all Floridians have been unpleasant but for the most part the ones that are very passionate about their disdain for FEMA... they have no problem expressing it," she said.
Washington also advised her teams to "use de-escalation tactics and preventative measures" and instructed them to "avoid working alone" for their own security.
"Avoid homes advertising Trump," Washington wrote in a "best practices" memo to employees, a copy of which was obtained by Daily Wire.
Washington, whose no-deleted LinkedIn profile indicates she has worked with FEMA since 2019, is also employed as a regional manager in the Bay Area by Avanath Capital Management LLC, a property management firm. Additionally, she lists herself as the owner of a logistics company, Olam Industries LLC.
According to her sister, Washington, who grew up in Oakland, has a deep interest in the history of slavery.
In 2019, she shared a Facebook post discussing what is believed to be the first slave ship to arrive in the Americas in the 1500s, along with an article about California's attempt to ban free Black individuals in the mid-1800s.
"I'm steadfast and extremely unpredictable," she wrote on her social media page, adding a kiss emoji.
