Promising these are only the first in a long investigation, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced felony charges on Wednesday against three government employees involved in the Flint water crisis.
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The charges surround the alleged blatant misleading of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Genesee County Health Department officials during an investigation, authorization of a permit for a water plant that was known to be deficient in providing safe drinking water, a failure to require needed corrosion control chemicals, manipulation of monitoring and testing reports, and violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act, among other violations.
Michael Prysby: The charges against him include: two counts of misconduct in office; one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence; tampering with evidence; and separate violations of water treatment and monitoring laws.
Michael Glasgow: He is charged with one count of tampering with evidence for changing lead water testing results and one count of willful neglect of duty as a public servant. Several of the felony charges carry maximum penalties of up to five years in prison.
For the most part, Flint residents were not allowed inside Wednesday’s announcement on criminal charges and the residents FOX 2 spoke to, say it was nothing more than a distraction.
The charges come barely three months after Schuette announced that he would investigate the circumstances that led to Flint’s see if laws were broken during what he called “a human tragedy”. He was purportedly told by Busch and Prysby to alter the results on water quality as well as remove those samples with the highest lead levels. “Lee continues to block a vote on our fully paid for, bipartisan agreement to help Flint and other communities across the nation who have serious lead and water problems”, she said. He said the defendants were cooperating with investigators.
MICHAEL GLASGOW, Flint utilities administrator: He testified last month before a state legislative committee that he meant to treat the Flint River water with anti-corrosive chemicals but was overruled by state Department of Environmental Quality engineer Michael Prysby, who told him a year of water testing was required first. They failed MI families.
It also said Snyder and his administration failed to act even after “suggestions to do so by senior staff members in the Governor’s office”.
“What I’ve said consistently from the beginning is this tragic situation was the result of bad decisions by bureaucrats”.
She went on to express that she wouldn’t have full faith in the state government again until charges were filed against Gov. Rick Snyder, because he his ultimately the “parent of MI”.
The State of MI has indicted three low-level state and local officials on charges stemming from the lead poisoning crisis in the city of Flint. They would’ve had to start corrosion control.
The issue began when the city switched its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River, in order to save money. However, in the Flint case, the officials tampered with documentation that directly led to the poisoning of the water supply. The city switched back in October.
We know months have passed since Flint residents first complained about their water.
“We’re still drinking bottled water, using the filters to wash our hands, hoping that we’re not being poisoned by the shower”, MacIntyre said.
In a statement released by his spokesman, Snyder said he has supported the probe and promised the state would pursue evidence of wrongdoing and hold those responsible accountable. Synder is trying to fix more than just the water supply, in an effort to reassure residents, he is promising to drink filtered Flint water for the next 30 days.
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“We couldn’t be more proud of Dr. Marc Edwards and the work he has done, with his students and fellow researchers for over the past year, Time magazine is just another honor of the really incredible work he has done”, Mark Owczarski, spokesperson for Virginia Tech said.
