Vox Sentences - The criminal neglect in Flint

Former Michigan governor charged in the Flint water crisis; China institutes new lockdown as WHO officials arrive.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Gabby Birenbaum.

• Prosecutors in Michigan filed charges Wednesday against former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder for his role in managing the Flint water crisis. Snyder is facing two counts of willful neglect of duty, each of which carries either a $1,000 fine or a year in jail. [New York Times / Julie Bosman]
• Snyder oversaw the deadly 2014 decision to cut costs by sourcing water from the Flint River for residents of the majority-Black city. Twelve residents died and 80 contracted Legionnaires’ disease. [NPR / Brakkton Booker]
• The water was improperly treated, the drinking supply became lead-poisoned, and the Snyder administration ignored 18 months’ worth of reports of bad water and adverse health effects, making Flint synonymous with environmental racism, mismanagement, and disaster. [Associated Press / David Eggert and Ed White]
• Snyder filed a plea of not guilty in court this morning, and his lawyer called the charges against him an “outrageous political persecution.” [The Detroit News / Beth LeBlanc and Craig Mauger]
• Democratic state Attorney General Dana Nessel, who took office in 2019, expanded the investigation, bringing charges against a total of at least nine state or local officials. [Detroit Free Press / Joe Guillen, Christine Macdonald and Jennifer Dixon]
• Some of those charges hint at a possible cover-up: Nessel filed four felony charges, including extortion, against a former Snyder aide. She also filed nine counts of involuntary manslaughter against the state’s former health director. All those charged have pleaded not guilty. [Detroit Free Press]
• The court battle over Flint has continued since 2016. Seven state officials took plea deals, and eight others had charges dropped in favor of Nessel’s broader investigation. In August, residents won a $600 million settlement. [Yahoo News / Doha Madani and Erin Einhorn]
• Activists and residents in Flint, many of whom face lingering physical and mental health problems, said the charges are a welcome sight, but say justice can only be served through long-term investment in the city’s future. [Associated Press / Kat Stafford, Mike Householder and Corey Williams]