(NewsNation) — The fired FEMA employee accused of telling her survivor assistance team not to go to Florida homes with yard signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump tells “Dan Abrams Live” she is being used as a scapegoat for a common agency practice.
“Firstly, I’m being framed,” said Marn’i Washington Monday. “There’s no violation of the Hatch Act. I was simply following orders.”
Washington told NewsNation the instruction to avoid certain houses based on campaign signs was from her direct superior based on previous team encounters, adding that “safety precautions are not politically driven.”
Instead, they’re trend-driven and can change day by day, she said.
“It just so happened that, unfortunately, most of the hostile encounters, those running trends, did have those campaign signs,” Washington explained.
“So again, it’s a collective effort in order for everyone to feel comfortable, in order to render the servitude. I don’t have a horse in that race. My orders come from my superior, and I simply just execute,” she added.
Washington said her team helped Trump supporters during their time in Florida, telling NewsNation, “[The order] was just for that moment and for that day. We have other days that we were able to canvas areas that were strong campaign supporters of Trump.”
It’s been one week since Washington’s termination, which FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell called the result of “reprehensible” actions.
“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,” Criswell added in her statement.
Washington pointed to FEMA’s halt in canvassing on Election Day and Nov. 6 as another example of safety taking precedence, asking, “Can Ms. Criswell explain why didn’t we campus on Election Day or the day after? Why did we receive stand-down orders? Was that political, or was that safety?”
According to FEMA, the matter was referred to its office of special counsel, and officials have been working to ensure similar acts do not happen again, NewsNation local affiliate WFLA reported.
Both Washington and her former employers have been sued by the state of Florida, which alleges FEMA officials conspired to discriminate against Trump supporters in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
