Michigan Supreme Court declines to revive Flint water crisis charges against ex-governor

The Michigan Supreme Court declined to revive charges against former Gov. Rick Snyder (R) in connection with the Flint water crisis. 

Prosecutors described the decision as the end of efforts to hold public officials responsible for the water source switch that resulted in Flint residents being exposed to lead. 

In a statement, they described the court’s move as the “nail in the coffin” for their prosecutorial efforts. 

Snyder had been charged with two counts of willful neglect of duty in connection with the water crisis.

The charges against him were dismissed in December after the state’s Supreme Court took issue with the indictment procedure used in the case. 

In light of the court’s decision not to revive the case against Snyder, prosecutors said in a statement that the court left them with “no option but to consider the Flint Water Prosecutions closed.”

Prosecutors said they planned to release a full report in 2024 detailing their efforts. The Hill has reached out to Snyder’s legal team for comment. 

Last month, the state’s high court similarly declined to revive charges against other public officials.  

The dismissals do not impact civil litigation; Flint residents were awarded a total of more than $600 million in a settlement finalized earlier this year. 

Flint’s drinking water was contaminated after the source of its water supply was shifted to the Flint River in 2014. The water wasn’t adequately treated, and this caused lead from pipes to leach into the city’s drinking water. 

This exposed about 99,000 residents to lead, which can damage the brain and nervous system and is particularly harmful to children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.