FEMA Employee Violated Hatch Act with Trump Sign Order

The Office of the Special Counsel has determined that a former employee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency violated the Hatch Act after issuing a directive to avoid houses featuring Trump campaign signs during recovery efforts for Hurricane Milton.

In the complaint to the US Merit Systems Protection Board, the OSC wrote that former FEMA employee Marn’i Washington “used her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election” and recommends that she receive disciplinary action.

The complaint also notes that Washington advised her FEMA colleagues at the time to “practice de-escalation and preventative measures.”