Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced that criminal charges were being filed against three city and state officials related to the Flint water contamination crisis.
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Meanwhile, Prysby is facing five charges in total: two charges of misconduct in office; and one count each of conspiracy to tamper with evidence, tampering with evidence, engaging in a treatment violation that violates the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act and engaging in a monitoring violation that violates the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act.
Flint Utilities Administrator Michael Glasgow, who oversaw day-to-day operations at the city’s water plant at the time, was charged Wednesday with tampering with evidence, accused of falsifying test results, and with willful neglect of duty.
Four of the charges are felonies carrying maximum prison sentences of four to five years.
“We have charged each individual with 3 felonies”, Attorney General Bill Schuette said on Wednesday during his press conference.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says two state employees facing criminal charges in connection with Flint’s lead-tainted water crisis have been suspended without pay. 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.
January 20: Snyder releases more than 270 pages of emails about the Flint water crisis that show debate over who is to blame and offer insight into the state’s response the first batch of several that are rolled out in the coming months.
Snyder, a Republican, 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 inquiry.
Laura McIntyre said it would be a “miscarriage of justice” if Gov. Rick Snyder isn’t charged, and she worries that Wednesday’s announcement of charges represented “just two to three people who will take the fall for actions that have included many, many more people”.
In addition, the complaint said the city “actively” discriminated against ordinary citizens and showed “preferential treatment” toward certain state employees, “who were specifically aware of the degradation of water quality” and were provided with safe, potable drinking water alternatives “not available to the general public”. We continue to hold Governor Snyder accountable for a timeline, a deadline and price tag. She is credited for bringing attention to the drinking water crisis and getting residents to stop drinking the lead-contaminated water.
Schuette called the charges “the beginning of the road back (to) restoring trust in Flint families in their government”. Snyder said Wednesday he did not believe he had done anything criminally wrong.
Schuette noted the investigation remains fully active and that the charges filed April 20 do not preclude additional charges at a later date.
“Let me say that I support and I know that others support these investigations”.
Cox, who now heads Mike Cox Law Firm PLLC, said some of the charges while normally hard to prosecute could be easier due to the combination of allegations-if the charges are proved.
The city’s water issue started in 2014 when they switched from Detroit’s drinking water to the Flint river.
But Glasgow said then that he had always tried to do the right thing, raising concerns to those above him at the city and state level.
“These latest charges are a welcome development but the investigation into this manmade disaster that has permanently damaged the well-being of thousands of residents of Flint, Michigan, particularly children, must be unrelenting”. Later in the month, city officials say water quality has improved and meets all state and federal standards for safety.
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Flint, which has a population of about 100,000 people, was under control of a state-appointed emergency manager in 2014 when it switched its source of water from Detroit’s municipal system to the Flint River to save money. 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. “There you are dripping with guilt, but drawing your paycheck, hiring lawyers at the expense of the people, and doing your dead-level best to spread accountability to others and not being accountable”.
