(P)rick Snyder All Set To Blame Everyone But Himself For Flint During Congressional Testimony

[hatrack]

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder will tell a congressional committee Thursday that “systemic failures” at the state’s environmental protection agency led to the poisoning of Flint’s water supply.

Prepared testimony released Wednesday afternoon shows that Snyder will repeat his message that “a failure of government at all levels” resulted in the catastrophe. He also will insist that a water specialist at the federal Environmental Protection Agency was “silenced” when he tried to warn about the lead contamination in February 2015. “I do want to thank Miguel Del Toral, a water specialist at the EPA, who spoke up early about the crisis,” Snyder says in testimony prepared for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. “Tragically, his superiors at the EPA told local leaders in Flint to ignore his call for action.”


Susan Hedman, former head of the EPA’s Midwest region, repeatedly denied muzzling or retaliating against the scientist when she testified before the same panel Tuesday. On Thursday, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy will join Snyder for what is expected to be often fierce questioning from lawmakers.

Snyder pledges in his prepared remarks to hold those responsible accountable, noting that “bureaucrats created a culture that valued technical compliance over common sense — and the result was that lead was leaching into residents’ water.”

Ed. - Emphasis added.

EDIT

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/michigan-governor-to-blame-state-environmental-agency-for-flint-water-debacle/2016/03/16/ded09d3a-ebbe-11e5-b0fd-073d5930a7b7_story.html

[monicaangela]

1. I continue to ask myself

How does this miscarriage of justice differ from any other terrorist attack on the citizens of this nation. These people knew this was poisoning American citizens for more than a year and did nothing. This IMO is tantamount to a terrorist attack and all involved should stand trial and receive the same treatment any other terrorist who performs an act such as this against the nation would be.

[OKIsItJustMe]

3. The difference is in the name

Terrorists aren’t all that interested in killing the people they kill, they want to terrorize other people.

Here, I don’t believe there was a desire to terrorize anyone, instead, they covered it up, hoping to prevent public outcry.

If, on the other hand, they had stepped forward, and said, “Yes, that’s right, we intentionally poisoned people in Flint, and your town will be next America.” that would be terrorism.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism#Origin_of_term

I think this is closer to criminal negligence.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_negligence#United_States

[monicaangela]

4. Your point is well taken, and by definition I did use the wront word

By definition this cannot be considered a terrorist attack, but for the people who have had to live under this type of State Management instead of democrat choice, it has been like a terrorist attack on their liberties. Flint isn't the firs city where the governor of Michigan has taken away democrat control and placed a manage in charge of the citizens. Each city, from Benton Harbor and now Flint and all in between have been really afraid that this would happen to their city, especially cities with large African American populations. I lived in Michigan albeit not in an area overly populated by African Americans. I still know people who live in Benton Harbor, Saginaw, and Detroit to name a few, and they have always felt as though their city would be next and wondered what dreadful thing would happen when State government took over local government. For me, that is terrorizing a population and causing them unnecessary anxiety. Maybe terrorist is strong for some, but for me...it kind of fits. Now that I think of it...I think I'll just say home grown State Government Terrorism against certain groups and populations within the country. How's that.

[OKIsItJustMe]

5. I’m sorry. It still isn’t terrorism.

Terrorists do not attempt to cover up their actions. Terrorists do not say that someone else committed their crimes. Terrorists want as much publicity (and as much credit) as possible for their actions. That’s the way it works.

The KKK were terrorists. (I don’t know if anyone is terrified of the KKK these days…)

[monicaangela]

6. I gave you the point...It isn't technically terrorism.

Still seems like something a terrorist would do though. How could someone know that a change in the water is going to cause harm to their constituents and keep it quiet, especially when those constituents have been under attack by the governor IMHO. I watched the hearings yesterday, they did everything but call him a terrorist. You when, it isn't terrorism, maybe it's uglier than that.

[OKIsItJustMe]

7. It’s more akin to corporate greed

It’s balancing lives against money.

“Here’s a way we can save some money! We’ll use river water for a while!”

Remember, early on, they were using inadequately treated water which had unacceptably high bacterial levels. OK, so they boosted the chlorine content, that took care of the bacteria, but it also led to higher trihalomethane counts, which made the water much more corrosive, which led to more lead being leached from the pipes.

I’m quite willing to believe it was a screw-up at first because they just didn’t know what they were doing. Then they tried to find the cheapest way they could to fix the problem.

I don’t believe they actually intended to cause harm. I think they were just horribly negligent.

http://www.freep.com/pages/interactives/flint-water-crisis-timeline/

[monicaangela]

8. Negligent is giving them an out.

If you work or have ever worked, if your job was in administration for example, and you went to work everyday for two years listening to complaints about something you had done and then later your CEO found out this had happened and you did absolutely nothing fix it, do you think he would say, oh I don't think you meant any harm, you were just negligent. Let me tell you I have worked in management and administration and believe me 2 months without a solution would be the end of that job. Why should these people get away with this. Do you realize the fact that we still don't know what the long term effects of this will be. I can't believe you are dismissing this as a mistake, or negligence. These people knew this was happening and did nothing, that to me is criminal.

[OKIsItJustMe]

9. Yes, as I said before, “Criminal Negilgence”

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1127&pid=98291

I’ve seen things from the other angle, where people complain about something for years and “administration” will not respond, despite what the people closest to the problem are telling them.

When things blow up, their eventual response will be, “We didn’t know. Nobody told us.” What they really mean is, “We didn’t take it that seriously.”

[monicaangela]

10. I understand

When someone neglects something that doesn't cause human misery sickness, slow suffering, I can see them getting away with calling it negligent, and there should still be consequences even then. In this case, these people need to pay for what they have done to their constituents legally economically and criminally meaning jail time IMHO.

[OKIsItJustMe]

11. As for “giving them a pass” I try to use “Hanlon’s razor”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon%27s_razor

The form I like is:

“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity or ignorance.”

Of course, there are times when neither stupidity nor ignorance are adequate explanations…

[monicaangela]

12. I don't believe you reach high office as all of these people have by being stupid

I reject that premise, I don't believe you get there by being ignorant either. Playing dumb maybe, that fits better.

[DI Freighter Watcher]

2. Squirm

I will be watching the Oversight hearings today. Watching him squirm is way past due, however as a citizen in Michigan, I fear he won't be held accountable for his willful disregard for public safety. Evil never pays it's due until it meets Karma !
How this all plays out should be of interest to all, your city can and may be the next Flint.