It is alleged that defendants on or about January 2015, through November 2015, defendants did unlawfully conspire, combine, confederate and agree together with persons, both known and unknown to the People of the State of MI, to commit an offense prohibited by law, to wit: Tampering with Evidence, including but not limited to manipulating monitoring reports mandated by law; contrary to MCL 750.157a.
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The three could not be reached for comment. Busch, Glasglow and Prysby are expected to be arraigned at a later date.
One person who has been charged is Mike Glasgow, a utility administrator for the city of Flint.
Flint has been under a state of emergency for more than four months, and people there are using filters and bottled water.
Residents waiting outside called for Gov. Snyder to be on the list when the next wave of charges comes down.
Busch is on paid leave following a suspension, while Prysby is working a new DEQ job.
Snyder said Wednesday afternoon that he has not been questioned or interviewed as part of Schuette’s investigation, though he said his office has been cooperating with the probe.
Genesee District Judge Tracy Collier-Nix authorized charges against Flint employee Michael Glasgow and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality employees Stephen Busch and Michael Prysby.
Flint employee Michael Glasgow is also charged with evidence tampering and willful neglect of office. Prysby allegedly told Glasgow at a meeting in 2014 that it was unnecessary to treat Flint water pipe lines with phosphate chemicals.
Prysby faces an additional felony charge of authorizing a permit for the Flint treatment plant, “knowing it would fail to provide clean and safe drinking water to families”, Schuette said. We’ve reported those lead particles can lead to sky high lead levels if they get into your water. They would’ve had to start corrosion control.
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.
Flint remains under a state of emergency. They are also accused of tampering with water tests and hampering a Genesee County Health Department investigation.
The budget measure next will be considered by the full Senate and, if it wins approval, then the House.
October 15: The Michigan Legislature and Snyder approve almost $9.4 million in aid to Flint, including $6 million to help switch its drinking water back to Detroit.
The attorney general said no one is off limits. On February 11, 2016 I would have had two babies if I hadn’t miscarried drinking the contaminated water. “If they have to go to the top, that’s what they should do”, Chatman said. He insists he didn’t know about dire lead problems until last fall. Snyder said Wednesday he did not believe he had done anything criminally wrong. But the team selected by Schuette include capable investigators, like former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Andy Arena.
“When you provide some justice and let folks know the system here in MI works, I think it also provides a measure of hope”, said Schuette. “We’ll go wherever the truth takes us in this case wherever the emails take us”, Schuette said, referencing the bushels of emails by state, county and city employees who made decisions about Flint water.
He says there are two reasons people need to use more water in Flint.
Starting May first, if you live in Flint, officials with the EPA, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the city want you to flush water through your home or business every day. The switch to the Flint River without appropriate corrosion controls ended up exposing a city of 100,000 to high levels of lead for more than a year (See related story). However, the corrosive river water damaged the town’s agingpipes causing lead to leach into it’s drinking water. Busch pleaded not guilty, while Prysby stood mute to the charges for now.
Two state regulators and a Flint employee are charged with evidence tampering and several other felony and misdemeanor counts related to the MI city’s lead-tainted water crisis.
Special Assistant Attorney General Todd Flood says even if that Glasgow was acting on instructions from his superiors, he’s not immune to criminal charges.
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January 13: MI health officials report an increase in Legionnaires’ disease cases some fatal over the past two years in the county that includes Flint. He said he did not have the power to overrule their decision.
