Judge clears ex-FEMA CFO of false criminal accusations

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 21:44 · Archive

A federal judge found Elon Musk and other Trump officials falsely accused Mary Comans, ex-FEMA CFO, of criminal conduct.

A federal magistrate judge in Virginia has cleared Mary Comans, the former chief financial officer of FEMA, of criminal accusations made against her by Elon Musk and other Trump administration officials. Judge William Fitzpatrick ruled that Musk, then head of the Department of Government Efficiency, and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem engaged in a coordinated campaign to spread false information about her and 'impugn her personal and professional integrity'.

Musk posted on X on 11 February 2025 accusing Comans of 'criminal action' and of 'funneling $58 million to illegal migrant hotels in Manhattan'. The Department of Homeland Security fired Comans and three colleagues the next day, labelling them 'deep state activists'. The judge described Musk's posting of her picture to millions of followers whilst falsely characterizing her service as a 'criminal action' as 'little more than state sanctioned intimidation'.

According to court records, the payments to state and local governments, including New York City, for migrant accommodation were actually approved by senior officials at DHS and FEMA and by employees at DOGE under Musk's oversight. Judge Fitzpatrick wrote that 'Mr. Musk was the head of DOGE, he knew or should have known that any payments made to state or local governments through a FEMA grant in February 2025 were approved by his subordinates'. The judge condemned the Trump administration's conduct as 'outrageous', saying Comans was 'professionally targeted and personally attacked by government officials for no legitimate reason'. Comans served in federal government for 21 years and was FEMA CFO until her firing in February 2025.

How it is being reported

• Judge finds Musk, Noem targeted ex-FEMA officialA federal magistrate judge said Elon Musk and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem knowingly spread false information about Mary Comans, the former CFO of FEMA.CBS News · 15 Oct, 21:26
• Judge says Musk engaged in intimidation of ex-FEMA CFO Mary Comans, clears her nameEx-FEMA CFO Mary Comans' name was cleared by a federal judge after Elon Musk and other government officials falsely accused her of criminal actions in 2025.CNBC · 13 Oct, 22:15

In this story: Mary Comans · Elon Musk · Kristi Noem · FEMA · Department of Homeland Security · Department of Government Efficiency

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