Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio grilled Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Deanne Criswell over a damning text message allegedly sent to disaster relief workers during a House Oversight Committee hearing on Tuesday.
The message reportedly told workers to avoid homes with Trump signs, prompting Jordan to compare it to comments made by disgraced FBI agent Peter Strzok while investigating alleged Trump-Russia collusion.
Jordan questioned the conflicting statements from Criswell and other FEMA employees regarding the alleged directive. He then turned his attention to the text message, which listed “best practices” for disaster relief workers, including avoiding homes with Trump signs.
Jordan cited other instances where liberals have demeaned Trump supporters, leading him to claim that the text message “sounds like Peter Strzok” and reinforces the mindset of disdain for Trump and his supporters within the government.
The FBI had fired Strzok in 2018 over text messages to FBI attorney Lisa Page, in which Strzok disparaged Trump and his supporters while investigating alleged collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia. Jordan drew parallels between Strzok’s attitudes and the FEMA text message, calling it evidence of a similar mindset within the government.
Meanwhile, FEMA has come under fire for its relief efforts in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. Jordan referenced a FEMA official’s comment about “being mindful about the types of people” in the area, which he saw as further proof of bias against Trump supporters within the agency.
The hearing and Jordan’s questioning of Criswell have sparked widespread outrage among conservative media and supporters of President Trump. Many are calling for further investigation into FEMA and potential bias against Trump and his supporters within the government. Others are using the comparison to Strzok to further criticize Democrats and liberals for their alleged disdain and disrespect for Trump and his followers.