Nothing resolved as Flint water crisis nears fifth anniversary
By
Sheila Brehm
8 March 2019
Flint, Michigan has not returned to normal. The end of April will mark the fifth anniversary of the water crisis, when the water source was switched to the toxic Flint River without adding corrosion controls, causing lead and other bacteria to leach into the drinking water. None of the underlying issues, including the replacement of the water infrastructure and numerous health problems, have been resolved.
All those who presided over the poisoning of the population and its cover-up remain at large, having never been charged, let alone prosecuted, for their crimes. These include former Republican Governor Rick Snyder, Democratic state Treasurer Andy Dillon, numerous state-appointed emergency managers, and officials from the state-run MDHHS (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services) and MDEQ (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality). It appears that the new Democratic administration of Governor Gretchen Whitmer is trying to wrap up the legal proceedings as quickly and with as little political fallout as possible.
Last year, preliminary hearings dragged through the court system for several months to determine if there was enough evidence for anyone to be bound over for trial. To date, not a single trial has been held, nor has anyone been held accountable. The preliminary hearings were halted after Whitmer became governor. No new dates have been set.
The photo posted above sums up the almost indescribable conditions facing the working class population in Flint. The photo was taken at around 7 A.M. on Thursday, February 28 by Beth Moody. Her Facebook post reads: “This line is…