Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Deanne Criswell and former FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington, alleging civil rights violations in the federal agency’s response to hurricanes Helene and Milton. The back-to-back storms, which hit Florida in late September and early October, have now sparked a legal battle over claims of inequitable disaster relief efforts.

The lawsuit urges the court to rule that the defendants conspired to violate the civil rights of Trump-supporting Floridians, citing the “deprivation” and “support or advocacy” clauses of 42 U.S.C. § 1985(3). The lawsuit also demands nominal and punitive damages from the defendants.

Attorney General Moody stated:

Hurricane season is not over, and the federal agency in charge of emergency response is embroiled in scandal – caught withholding aid from storm victims in Florida who support President Trump. I am taking swift legal action to find out how far this political discrimination reaches and to make sure all Americans who fall victim to devastating storms are served, regardless of their political affiliation.

The lawsuit follows allegations that former FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington instructed workers in Lake Placid, Florida, to bypass homes displaying Trump campaign signs and flags during Hurricane Milton and Helene relief efforts. According to the lawsuit, “at least 20 homes with Trump signs or flags” were bypassed under Washington’s guidance. Washington was later fired, with FEMA administrator Criswell condemning her actions as “reprehensible.” Criswell stated the behavior was “a clear violation of FEMA’s core values and principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also supported the complaint. He said: “It’s unacceptable for the federal government to discriminate against Floridians who voted for Trump, and especially egregious in the aftermath of a hurricane. I’m supportive of this legal action by the Attorney General’s Office.”

Washington, however, claimed that she and her team canvased houses with Trump signs, registering and providing resources to individuals living in those homes. She said that she had to skip past certain streets due to “hostile political encounters” that included threats to FEMA workers, stating that the team’s actions “had nothing to do with their political stance” but were merely “with the objective of safety.”

Hurricane Helene hit the southeastern US in September 2024. Hurricane Milton hit the region soon after, making landfall in Florida on October 9, 2024. The storms combined killed at least 250 people and caused billions of dollars in damages.