Subpoenas Served for Gov. Rick Snyder's Flint Water Emails
Flint residents and attorneys announced two new class action lawsuits filed against Gov. Rick Snyder, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and other current and former state and county officials on University of Michigan-Flint's on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016. Sean Proctor | MLive.com
Sean Proctor | sproctor@mlive.com
Gary Ridley | gridley@mlive.com
January 25, 2016 at 11:18 PM
FLINT, MI – Gov. Rick Snyder's emails and other communications have been subpoenaed as part of an ongoing class-action lawsuit over the city's water crisis.
Subpoenas were served Monday, Jan. 25, on Snyder and the Michigan Department of Environmental quality as part of civil action over alleged personal injury and physical damages suffered by residents during the city's water crisis.
The subpoenas are seeking the emails, text messages or other documents sent or received by Snyder, his staff and Flint's former emergency mangers relating to the Flint River as a source of drinking water, Flint River quality and the Karegnondi Water Authority, according to the attorneys who filed the lawsuit.
Similar documents are requested from the DEQ.
Snyder's representatives declined to comment on the subpoenas.
"It would be inappropriate to discuss pending litigation," said Snyder's Press Secretary Dave Murray.
The contents of Snyder and his administration's communications have become a focal point in the city's water crisis.
Snyder's office, in what Murray called an "unprecedented move" released nearly 300 pages of emails from 2014 and 2015 last week in response to demands that he disclose his communications involving the Flint water crisis.
The release included emails, talking points and previously-released studies, but has drawn criticism from some who alleged the release may have been incomplete. The release also did not include communications from 2013, when the city began receiving its drinking water from the Flint River
Emails from Snyder's office are exempt from the state's Freedom of Information Act, and the governor declined to release emails from his staff.
The subpoenas seek records dating back to the beginning of 2011.
The lawsuits were filed by a team of lawyers from across the state, including Royal Oak-based Pitt McGhee Palmer & Rivers, Detroit-based Goodman & Hurwitz, Ann Arbor's Deborah LaBelle and Flint's Trachelle Young.
Flint residents were told not to drink their water in October. However, residents are still required to pay for the water and the city has been sending shutoff notices to those who do not comply.
The city of Flint switched its water source to the Flint River in April 2014. Testing showed high levels of lead in the blood of children and infants since the switch. This month, state and Genesee County officials announced the Flint area has also seen a spike in the cases of Legionnaires' disease, including nine deaths, although a link to the water switch has not been confirmed.
Snyder declared a state of emergency in Genesee County on Jan. 5 and earlier this month President Barack Obama signed an emergency declaration opening the door for federal aid to deal with Flint's water crisis.
Sean Proctor | sproctor@mlive.com
Gary Ridley | gridley@mlive.com
January 25, 2016 at 11:18 PM
FLINT, MI – Gov. Rick Snyder's emails and other communications have been subpoenaed as part of an ongoing class-action lawsuit over the city's water crisis.
Subpoenas were served Monday, Jan. 25, on Snyder and the Michigan Department of Environmental quality as part of civil action over alleged personal injury and physical damages suffered by residents during the city's water crisis.
The subpoenas are seeking the emails, text messages or other documents sent or received by Snyder, his staff and Flint's former emergency mangers relating to the Flint River as a source of drinking water, Flint River quality and the Karegnondi Water Authority, according to the attorneys who filed the lawsuit.
Similar documents are requested from the DEQ.
Snyder's representatives declined to comment on the subpoenas.
"It would be inappropriate to discuss pending litigation," said Snyder's Press Secretary Dave Murray.
The contents of Snyder and his administration's communications have become a focal point in the city's water crisis.
Snyder's office, in what Murray called an "unprecedented move" released nearly 300 pages of emails from 2014 and 2015 last week in response to demands that he disclose his communications involving the Flint water crisis.
The release included emails, talking points and previously-released studies, but has drawn criticism from some who alleged the release may have been incomplete. The release also did not include communications from 2013, when the city began receiving its drinking water from the Flint River
Emails from Snyder's office are exempt from the state's Freedom of Information Act, and the governor declined to release emails from his staff.
The subpoenas seek records dating back to the beginning of 2011.
The lawsuits were filed by a team of lawyers from across the state, including Royal Oak-based Pitt McGhee Palmer & Rivers, Detroit-based Goodman & Hurwitz, Ann Arbor's Deborah LaBelle and Flint's Trachelle Young.
Flint residents were told not to drink their water in October. However, residents are still required to pay for the water and the city has been sending shutoff notices to those who do not comply.
The city of Flint switched its water source to the Flint River in April 2014. Testing showed high levels of lead in the blood of children and infants since the switch. This month, state and Genesee County officials announced the Flint area has also seen a spike in the cases of Legionnaires' disease, including nine deaths, although a link to the water switch has not been confirmed.
Snyder declared a state of emergency in Genesee County on Jan. 5 and earlier this month President Barack Obama signed an emergency declaration opening the door for federal aid to deal with Flint's water crisis.
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