In case you missed our live tweets today, here’s what went down this morning at the first hearing of the Joint Select Committee on the Flint Water Public Health Emergency. The Committee heard testimony from the Auditor General’s office on their audit of MDEQ’s Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance.
#MiLeg hearing on #FlintWaterCrisis to begin shortly pic.twitter.com/9oUPJodTsE
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, is chair of the Legislature’s special six-man committee (4 Republicans, 2 Dems). He’s beginning opening remarks. — Chad Livengood (@ChadLivengood) March 15, 2016
Stamas warns against “finger-pointing” multiple times in intro remarks. We’ll see where this goes. #MiLeg #FlintWaterCrisis
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
.@jimananich making his open statement now on #FlintWaterCrisis. #mileg — MI Senate Democrats (@MISenDems) March 15, 2016
.@JimAnanich: We have an opportunity to make sure this never happens in Michigan again. #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
.@JeffMIrwin: We need to be serious about accountability if we want to prevent another #FlintWaterCrisis. #MiLeg — Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Rep. Irwin: Hearings should focus not just on decisions leading up to #FlintWaterCrisis but also the state’s response. #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Auditor General and team coming up to testify. #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg — Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Sen. Ananich pushed water issue to Auditor General in early 2015. Yet we’re expected to believe Snyder didn’t know? #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Melissa Mays, @nayyirahshariff, & Abel Delgado who have been leading citizen response to #FlintWaterCrisis are present at #mileg hearing — Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Auditor General’s office: MDEQ’s oversight of Flint water was “not sufficient,” failed to add corrosion controls. #MiLeg #FlintWaterCrisis
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Here at the @michiganleg Joint Select Committee on the Flint Water Public Health Emergency #FlintWaterCrisis pic.twitter.com/yF9LQiDGSt — nayyirah shariff (@nayyirahshariff) March 15, 2016
Auditor’s office reporting major MDEQ failures. But Snyder failed to fire Director Wyant, who stayed thru 2015. #MiLeg #FlintWaterCrisis
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
MDEQ should have to notify DHHS of elevated lead levels, says Auditor’s office. #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg — Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
MDEQ violated its own policies by failing to implement oversight measures w/in mandated deadlines, Auditors say. #MiLeg #FlintWaterCrisis
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Marc Edwards is back in Washington this morning for part two of the House Oversight Committee’s hearing on the #FlintWaterCrisis. @cspan — Virginia Tech (@virginia_tech) March 15, 2016
MDEQ faced shortfall, had to use federal funds. Remember when Snyder cut MDEQ budget 11% his first year in office? #MiLeg #FlintWaterCrisis
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
This hearing shows that @EPA Lead & Copper Rule needs to be updated #mileg #FlintWaterCrisis — Marissa Luna (@rissluna) March 15, 2016
Wow: MDEQ misled @EPA for months by claiming it had a corrosion control program in place. It didn’t. #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Partial lead service line replacements have not been shown to reduce lead levels in short term #FlintWaterCrisis pic.twitter.com/7MnnTWIlQF
— Marissa Luna (@rissluna) March 15, 2016
Auditor’s office: “We believe corrosion control should have been maintained.” #MiLeg #FlintWaterCrisis — Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Auditor General’s office: it appears MDEQ misrepresented info to EPA regarding #FlintWaterCrisis pic.twitter.com/CQF0rLp5C5
— Faith Gantner (@FaithGantner) March 15, 2016
Sen. Ananich asks why Auditor’s draft report was sent to Governor’s office, what prompted edit. #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg — Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
DIrect question from Ananich: does Governor’s office get prior review to edit/whitewash Auditor reports? #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Ananich not backing down: Will more emails from Snyder admin show more editing of reports? Is this common practice? #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg — Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Why was @onetoughnerd‘s administration given the chance to potentially impact #FlintWaterCrisis reports? https://t.co/oHDa9pIuZB
— MI Senate Democrats (@MISenDems) March 15, 2016
@jimananich “Who does the Auditor General serve?” Clapback Jim is rocking it out! #Flintwatercrisis — nayyirah shariff (@nayyirahshariff) March 15, 2016
.@JimAnanich questioning independence of Auditor General’s office. #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Why, then, was @onetoughnerd‘s administration given prior notice of the Auditor General’s #FlintWaterCrisis report? https://t.co/7G9Z80w2sj — MI Senate Democrats (@MISenDems) March 15, 2016
Sen. Ananich breaking it down: Why no mention of Legionella, TTHMs in Auditor’s report? Lead not only water issue. #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Under questioning by @JimAnanich, Auditor General office admits it didn’t review all emails – used keyword searches #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg — Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
An algorithm or search words? Much was missing if they didn’t look at the full picture. #FlintWaterCrisis https://t.co/EMZaII61Dx
— MI Senate Democrats (@MISenDems) March 15, 2016
.@JeffMIrwin first to mention Emergency Manager, says fox guarding the henhouse with state in control of Flint. #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg — Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Auditor General’s office “doesn’t remember” Glasgow email where water plant supervisor warned against switch to river #FlintWaterCrisis
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
“I’m surprised you don’t remember that one” – @JeffMIrwin on Auditor General team’s failure to recall key email #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg — Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Irwin: Emails indicate that MDEQ not only misinterpreted Lead & Copper Rule but tried to circumvent it. #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Did you investigate if MDEQ communicated with people collecting samples mid-stream to try to sway results? – Rep. Irwin #FlintWaterCrisis — Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Irwin: Is it common practice for regulatory agency to communicate w/ppl they’re regulating? #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
.@JeffMIrwin is suggesting that MDEQ was trying to game the system when collecting lead samples #FlintWaterCrisis #mileg — Marissa Luna (@rissluna) March 15, 2016
Auditor General’s office answers Irwin in very vague terms, won’t say MDEQ cherry-picked samples. #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
How is an Auditor General useful when they won’t do a thorough investigation? Failing the people of Flint. #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg — Denzel (@DenzAnton_) March 15, 2016
Canfield points out “weakness of audit” #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016
Hearing adjourned #FlintWaterCrisis #MiLeg
— Progress Michigan (@ProgressMich) March 15, 2016