Ex-Michigan governor indicted for “willful neglect” in Flint water crisis

Enlarge / Then-Michigan Governor Rick Snyder testifies on the Flint water crisis during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in Washington, DC, on March 17, 2016. (credit: Getty Images | Saul Loeb)

Former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and eight other officials have been indicted on criminal charges related to their handling of the Flint water crisis. Snyder was charged with two counts of willful neglect of duty, which are misdemeanor charges that can each be punished by up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.

"When an entire city is victimized by the negligence and indifference of those in power, it deserves an uncompromising investigation that holds to account anyone who is criminally culpable," Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud said at a press conference today. "We must remember that the Flint water crisis is not some relic of the past. At this very moment, the people of Flint continue to suffer from the categorical failure of public officials at all levels of government, who trampled upon their trust and evaded accountability for far too long."

The charges against Snyder are "for willfully neglecting his mandatory legal duties under the Michigan Constitution and Emergency Management Act, thereby failing to protect the health and safety of Flint's residents," Hammoud said.

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