More charges in Flint water crisis
FLINT, Mich. — Six current or former state employees were charged Friday with misconduct and other crimes in the Flint water crisis, bringing to nine the number of public officials facing prosecution over the lead contamination.
Attorney General Bill Schuette brought a total of 18 charges against three employees from the Department of Environmental Quality — Liane Shekter Smith, Adam Rosenthal and Patrick Cook — and three from the Department of Health and Human Services — Nancy Peeler, Corinne Miller and Robert Scott. In addition to the misconduct in office charges, there were willful neglect of duty and various conspiracy counts.
For 18 months the city used the Flint River for tap water as a way to save money while a new pipeline was under construction. The decision was made by a state-appointed emergency manager. The water, which wasn’t treated to control corrosion, leached lead from aging pipes and fixtures as it flowed into homes and businesses in the city about 90 km north of Detroit. Elevated levels of the toxin were discovered in children.
Shekter Smith, former head of the state’s drinking water office, appeared last month in a Detroit courtroom so her lawyer could assert her right against self-incrimination amid ongoing investigations. She hadn’t yet been charged but was reassigned after the water crisis came to light and her firing was announced in February.
Shekter Smith’s attorney, Brian Morley, said Friday that he was surprised she was charged.
“It’s disappointing ... I think we’re going to be really hard-pressed to find that she did anything wrong, and certainly nothing criminally wrong,” he said.
It’s the second round of charges stemming from the water crisis. In April, two state regulators and a city employee were charged with official misconduct, evidencetampering and other offences. At the time, the Republican attorney general guaranteed others would also be charged.
Flint utilities administrator Mike Glasgow struck a deal with prosecutors in May, pledging cooperation in exchange for reduced charges as authorities continue investigating lead contamination of the city’s drinking water supply. He entered a no contest plea to one count of willful neglect of duty, a misdemeanour, in exchange for dismissal of a felony charge of tampering with evidence.