North Carolina lawmakers have taken action to safeguard aid distribution following concerns of political bias in emergency relief efforts. A newly passed law, H.B. 251, explicitly prohibits individuals providing emergency assistance from discriminating against recipients based on their political beliefs or expressions.
The legislation also includes a key provision ensuring equitable access to state disaster grants. It stipulates that applicants are not required to disclose personal demographic information unless the data is demonstrably essential for grant allocation or mandated by existing legal requirements.
This move was spurred by reports emerging after Hurricane Helene, a devastating storm comparable in severity to Katrina, which leveled portions of six states. Concerns arose regarding potential discrimination within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following allegations that some workers were directed to avoid assisting homeowners displaying political signs—specifically those supporting former President Trump.
As Republican State Representative Kelly Hastings explained on the House floor, “This came about after an incident that occurred following Helene, and word was getting out that FEMA was actually discriminating against people based on their political speech…we decided we might want to send a clear message.” She emphasized the constitutional protection afforded to political expression, suggesting it’s among the highest forms of protected speech.
The controversy intensified when former FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington admitted to being fired after her instructions—to avoid engaging with homes displaying Trump signs following Hurricane Milton (which occurred shortly after Helene)—were revealed. She claimed she was “simply executing” orders from her superiors and that the practice of avoiding certain areas based on perceived political hostility predated her involvement.
Washington asserted, “This was the culture. They were already avoiding these homes based on community trends from hostile political encounters.”
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell confirmed Washington’s termination, calling the actions “reprehensible,” though a FEMA spokesperson characterized the incident as an “isolated event.” However, Washington maintained that higher-ups within the agency were responsible for the policy.
Despite these controversies and criticisms of the federal response, the Biden administration reported allocating over $860 million in aid to North Carolina after Hurricane Helene, including substantial funding for individual assistance and debris removal. Over 8,500 personnel were deployed to assist affected communities.
- More than $860 million was allocated by the Biden Administration
- Over 8,500 personnel were deployed in response to the disaster
- 153,000 families received FEMA assistance.
The storm itself resulted in significant loss of life, claiming the lives of 107 North Carolinians, many due to catastrophic mudslides.
Despite federal and state efforts, some residents expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of recovery, with many still living in temporary trailers months after the disaster. The bill now moves to the State Senate for consideration.
Former FEMA employee’s quote:
“Why is this coming down on me? I am the person that jotted down the notes from my superiors and my notation in [Microsoft] Teams chat was exposed from their search capacity team.”
