FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
February 26, 2016
Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@progressmichigan.org
Progress Michigan Calls for Snyder Resignation In Light of New Emails
Emails also reveal officials purposefully avoiding state FOIA law
LANSING – Progress Michigan is calling for Governor Snyder’s resignation following the release of damning emails in the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News showing that his inner circle of advisors knew about the Flint water issues and even suggested changing back to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department.
“There’s no reasonable person who can believe at this point that every top advisor to Rick Snyder knew that there was an issue, but Snyder knew nothing. At worst he’s been lying all along and at best he’s the worst manager on the planet. Under either scenario he’s clearly unfit to lead our state and he should resign immediately,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “As if it isn’t bad enough that the Governor’s administration knew about the Flint water issues and did nothing, we also find out that Snyder’s deputy legal counsel was purposely writing separate emails to avoid the state’s Freedom of Information Act. All of this behavior is unacceptable and Governor Snyder must be held accountable for the egregious failures that have occurred on his watch.”
Progress Michigan has led the call for the release of all emails regarding the Flint Water Crisis as well as calls for FOIA reform. Currently, Michigan is one of only two states that exempt the legislature and the Governor from FOIA.
“Without question, Snyder and his entire administration have failed Flint and the residents of Michigan,” Scott continued. “We knew that there was a reason the Governor was refusing to release these documents and now it is all too clear: to him Flint families weren’t as important as the bottom line on his spreadsheet. There are no more excuses and no more scapegoats. The Governor must resign.”
###