US News
Michigan AG releases final Flint water crisis report, calling it last step for accountability
Attorney General Dana Nessel released a 101-page summary of the state's criminal investigation following the dismissal of charges against former officials.
The short version
- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a 101-page report detailing the state's criminal investigation into the Flint water crisis.
- Nessel stated the report represents the final action her office can take after a 2022 Michigan Supreme Court ruling voided charges against former Governor Rick Snyder and eight others.
- The document outlines the history of the 2014 water source switch, the delayed government response, and prosecutor efforts, though Nessel expressed frustration that evidence was never presented to a jury.
Key facts
- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a 101-page report detailing the history and criminal investigation of the Flint water crisis.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- The Michigan Supreme Court unanimously invalidated indictments against former Governor Rick Snyder and eight other officials in 2022, ruling that a one-person grand jury lacked the statutory authority to issue indictments.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- The water crisis began in 2014 when Flint, operating under state financial control, switched its water source to the Flint River to cut costs, leading to lead contamination from corroded pipes.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- Nessel defended her prosecution team's strategy while pointing out that three of the Supreme Court justices participating in the unanimous 2022 decision were originally appointed by Snyder.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- Publication of the report was delayed past its projected 2024 release to summarize millions of documents and redact legally secret grand jury material.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- Prior efforts to resolve the crisis included a $626 million settlement approved in 2020 for residents and roughly $170 million in federal funding for local water infrastructure.[ABC News · Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- Former Governor Rick Snyder did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the report or Nessel's remarks.[ABC News · Associated Press]