Phot courtesy Buchanan's office: Florida Attorney General and Rep. Vern Buchanan discuss FEMA discrimination allegations.

Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, and Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, pressed the Federal Emergency Management Agency for answers after employees refused to offer help to some homes with Donald Trump signs posted.

Buchanan, co-chair of the Florida Congressional Delegation, held a press conference with Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody supporting a state lawsuit against FEMA.

“It is downright unconscionable to deny relief to storm victims simply because of their political preference,” Buchanan said. “FEMA has a responsibility to serve every American equally—especially in times of crisis. That’s why I’m leading efforts in the House to demand answers from FEMA to not only ensure all bad actors are held accountable, but to ensure this never happens again.”

Buchanan led a letter signed by 54 Republican lawmakers demanding accountability from FEMA Administrator DeAnne Criswell.

FEMA has confirmed 20 Plant City homes were initially passed over, and fired Marn’I Washington, a FEMA supervisor overseeing Central teams on the ground after Hurricane Milton. Washington later told CNN her teams did help Trump supporters, but one team employed standard “avoidance” measures in response to a trend that “ran with those Trump signs.”

Criswell, nominated by President Joe Biden, said discrimination won’t be tolerated. “This was reprehensible,” she posted on X. “I want to be clear to all of my employees and the American people, this type of behavior and action will not be tolerated at FEMA and we will hold people accountable if they violate these standards of conduct.”

She testified to the House Oversight Committee, confirming the Plant City homes had been skipped but said she knew of no others.

But Steube sent her a letter urging prompt investigation.

“FEMA is intentionally dragging their feet on providing answers to Congress in the remaining weeks of the Biden-Harris administration” Steube wrote. “Floridians are outraged at the discriminatory practices FEMA implemented against Trump supporters. The discrimination is now seemingly widespread, contrary to FEMA’s claims.”

Phot courtesy Buchanan's office: Florida Attorney General and Rep. Vern Buchanan discuss FEMA discrimination allegations.