Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a 101-page report on the Flint water crisis, calling it the final step her office can take toward accountability after the Michigan Supreme Court threw out criminal cases against former Gov. Rick Snyder and eight others. The report and Nessel’s comments were reported by the Associated Press and carried by Headline USA.
A ‘final step’ after charges were tossed
Nessel, a Democrat in her final term, described the document as a thorough public account of the criminal investigation that never reached juries. “I hope this offering revealing the inner workings of our dedicated investigators and prosecutors who helmed this yearslong effort and the facts and evidence which guided them may tell one part of the story of the Flint water crisis, and put the truth in the hands of the people of Flint who deserve it the most,” she said, per the AP.
How prosecutions unraveled
After taking office in 2019, Nessel removed a special prosecutor and assembled a new team that presented evidence to a judge acting as a one-person grand jury. In 2022, the state’s high court unanimously ruled that the judge lacked authority to issue indictments under the grand jury law, voiding the charges, according to the AP account.
Nessel said she walled herself off from the criminal cases to focus on civil settlements but defended the charging strategy as “the smartest possible move” at the time. She also questioned the political implications of the ruling, noting two justices in the 6–0 decision were appointed by Snyder, while a third Snyder appointee recused. “I think it’s impossible to separate those things,” Nessel said, as reported by the AP.
Nessel added that it was frustrating that “justice has evaded the people of Flint” and that residents will not get their day in criminal court. The AP reported it had emailed Snyder for comment.
What the report covers
According to the AP summary, most of the 101-page report outlines the crisis’s history, the slow response by local and state officials, and the ultimately unsuccessful attempt to bring 42 felony and misdemeanor charges against nine people, including Snyder. Prosecutors had said in 2023 that a summary of their investigation would follow the next year; Nessel said more time was needed to redact secret grand jury material and summarize millions of documents.
The crisis and its fallout
Flint, under state financial control, switched in 2014 from Detroit’s water system to the Flint River to save money. Chemicals used to treat river water caused lead to leach from aging pipes. While state health officials said the water was safe, doctors reported elevated lead levels in children, the AP reported.
Snyder acknowledged the lead problem in September 2015. The state provided water filters and testing in Flint schools. In early 2016, Snyder declared a state of emergency. Congress later approved a nationwide water-projects bill that directed about $170 million to Flint to address lead in drinking water. In 2020, a judge approved a $626 million settlement for Flint residents and others exposed to lead-contaminated water. The crisis spurred other communities in Michigan and beyond to reassess how drinking water is delivered.
