Thread by @DrEricDing

BREAKING—Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder was charged for his role in Flint water crisis, where many lead poisoned + Legionnaire’s Disease that killed at least 12. He faces two counts of willful neglect of duty & could face 1 year prison + $1,000 fine. 🧵
npr.org/2021/01/13/956…

2) Other former members of his administration are expected to face charges as well, according to the Associated Press.

3) “At least dozen people died and more than 80 people were sickened with Legionnaires' disease after water from the Flint River caused lead to leach from old pipes, poisoning the water system city.

4) “Soon after the switch, residents began to complain that the new water in their homes had a foul stench, tasted different and was discolored, according to an MLive report from May 2014, a month after the change in water sources.

5) “Officials with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality told Flint city officials they did not need to use any corrosion control measures to treat the river water, at least not initially, Michigan Public Radio reported in December 2016.

6) The "wait-and-see approach was a really bad idea," because without the necessary treatment "the protective coating on the inside of pipes that built up over the years from Detroit's water likely disappeared. And that's what caused lead levels to spike in many homes in Flint."

7) More than a dozen state and city officials were indicted for their roles in the crisis. Several of them accepted plea deals to avoid prison time.

8) Many years ago I fought against lead poisoning around the time of Flint water crisis. news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/…

9) Was I saw was heinous amount of neglect. The data was there it was dangerous. It just wasn’t shared fast enough with public.

In my opinion- merely *up to* 1 year prison and $1000 fine is a total joke of a potential punishment...

10) This amounts to a mere petty slap on the wrist compared to all those kids lead poisoned.

That’s why I sounded the alarm with Toxin Alert dashboard many years ago. Here is the @HarvardChanSPH video about it:

(Skip to 4min to avoid my techno ramble)

9) Here is the formal charge — a total slap on the wrist!!! Infuriating.

https://twitter.com/drericding/status/1349548989201473543

10) This amounts to a mere petty slap on the wrist compared to all those kids lead poisoned, & LD sickened.

That’s why I sounded the alarm w/ Toxin Alert dashboard many years ago. Here is the @HarvardChanSPH video about it:

(Goto 4min to skip my ramble)