Michigan Attorney General’s Office Says Flint Water Crisis Investigation on Track
Ahead of the six-year anniversary of Flint’s water switch on April 25th, which lead to it’s crisis with lead-tainted water, Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy issued a statement saying the Flint Water Crisis investigation is on track.
The two, who are leading the investigation, said “As we approach six years since the water switch in Flint, we must remember the ongoing struggle of the people of Flint, and their resiliency in the face of a man-made disaster that will span generations. But they did not volunteer to serve as a cautionary tale of government gone wrong. This fate was imposed on them by a series of actions and inactions that created the historic injustice of the Flint Water Crisis. From the outset, our team committed to a complete investigation of the Flint Water Crisis, using all investigative means at our disposal. We committed to professional prosecution of anyone criminally responsible for this man-made crisis and the resulting death, injury and trauma experienced by the people of Flint. Despite the challenges posed to our state by the COVID-19 pandemic, the current state of emergency will not prevent us from pursuing justice. ”
In Hammoud and Worthy’s statement, they said there’s a misconception that April 25th 2020 is the deadline to bring charges against those who may be criminally liable. They said criminal statutes of limitations vary depending on the offense and the date of the alleged criminal act. They said they can’t comment on specifics of the investigation, but they remain on track and are delivering on their commitment to the people of Flint.
When she took office in January, 2019, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel scrapped charges against a number of people previously brought by former Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office, saying all available evidence had not been pursued. She started the investigation from scratch and has so far issued no new charges against any of the players.
Nessel issued the following statement Friday, “The decision to separate myself from the criminal investigation into the Flint Water Crisis, and focus exclusively on the resolution of the civil cases, was one of the most difficult decisions that I have had to make as Attorney General. In fact, I was only able to make it because of the complete confidence that I have that Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy will deliver on the commitments that they make. These two prosecutors have built their careers on pursing and delivering justice to the victims and communities that they have served. Like the people of Flint, I’m glad to know that their investigation has not been – and will not be – impeded by time or this current public health crisis. It comes as no surprise to me, though, that their commitment to the people of Flint is as strong today as it was the day they took up this important cause. The people of Flint, like myself, are fortunate to have Fadwa and Kym working on their behalf.”
