Flint Water Crisis: AG charges six state employees

The official who requested the report, Nancy Peeler, never forwarded it to other officials, and she joined up with another worker, Robert Scott, to create a second report that did not show a spike, Schuette alleged. Flint switched back to Detroit’s system for its water last fall, but the problem persisted. Cook is charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy to engage in misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty. He spoke about the Flint water crisis at the Republican National Convention.

Patrick Cook: Facing charges of misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty.

The top of the Flint Water Plant tower is seen in Flint, Michigan February 7, 2016. There were high levels of a disinfectant chemical as well.

Rosenthal “tampered with results of water testing, instructing that he needed more tests to go in the right direction”, Schuette said.

Earlier this year, two state regulators and a city employee were charged with official misconduct, evidence tampering and other offenses when it was discovered that they altered reports that recorded lead levels in water. In addition to allegedly working with Rosenthal on the incorrect Lead and Copper Rule report, Cook, according to Schuette, said water tests were occurring in Flint, when they were in fact not. Miller, Michigan’s head epidemiologist, allegedly ordered a department employee to ignore the findings and proceed as if nothing happened.

Two state Department of Environmental Quality officials also were charged with misconduct, conspiracy, tampering with test results and misdemeanor violations of clean-water law and await preliminary examinations. Miller was director of the Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention at MDHHS, Seipenko said. “DEQ and MDHHS will continue to monitor the legal proceedings and evaluate next steps as appropriate”. “Providing justice to families of Flint means accountability”.

The breaking up of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department was done to override the safeguards to both employees and ratepayers in the city charter and prepare for privatization of one of the largest water systems in the country. Equally. No matter who you are. “Their narrative and their story was that there’s nothing wrong with Flint water”. Glasgow, who was indicted last April, entered a plea of “no contest” and is cooperating with the investigation. A judge is expected to decide whether to approve the deal next Wednesday.

“I’ll be more impressed when we start seeing some folks higher on the food chain being held accountable”, said Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint.

Four of those charged Friday have been suspended without pay.

“I hope justice be served and come down swiftly to them because what has happened has devastated this community”, said Quincy Murphy, community activist.

In June, Schuette and the investigative team announced that civil suits and criminal charges would be brought against those contributing to the water crisis.

Flood said that the injustice perpetrated by the government employees is particularly unsettling to him. She worked for the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. “We’re starting to work our way up, and expanding our investigation…. That’s very unfortunate”, Murphy said.

Another question was raised about whether Governor Rick Snyder would be indicted. He’s the one that appointed these people here. Authorities switched the city’s water source to the Flint River for 18 months, attempting to save money while a new pipeline was being constructed. The 18 charges total include felonies in all six cases, all potentially carrying jail times and fines. It’s actually backward. Once they’re acquitted you can’t bring them up.