DETROIT — A judge has rejected a request to dismiss misdemeanor charges against former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder in connection with the Flint water crisis.
Lawyers for Snyder said he worked in Ingham County, not Genesee County, so the indictment was returned in the wrong place. But Judge William Crawford II said prosecutors have flexibility about where to pursue a case.
Crawford’s ruling was viewed as a win for the prosecution team lead by Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
“Today’s ruling is a small victory for the people of Flint who patiently await their day in court,” said Hammoud. “This ruling affirms what our team has argued from the beginning: that the use of the grand jury to investigate and bring charges against Mr. Snyder and others as part of the Flint water crisis was proper.”
Snyder’s attorneys plan to appeal. The former Republican governor is charged with two counts of willful neglect of duty in Flint, each a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of up to one year in prison or a fine of up to $1,000.
“The defense has said that ‘neglecting a city is not a crime.’ On behalf of the citizens of Flint, we vehemently disagree with the notion that public officials are entitled to show little regard for the health and safety of the people they are elected to serve,” said Worthy.
The Flint water crisis lasted for multiple years when the city used the Flint River for drinking water without properly treating it to reduce corrosion. Lead in old pipes contaminated the system.
*The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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