04-20-2016, 03:39 PM
Criminal Charges Filed
Two state regulators and a Flint utilities employee were charged Wednesday with evidence tampering and other felonies and misdemeanors, for the first time raising the lead-tainted water crisis in the Michigan city to a criminal case.
Michael Prysby, a state DEQ district engineer, and Stephen Busch, who is a supervisor with the DEQ's Office of Drinking Water, were both charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, tampering with evidence and misdemeanor violations of water law. They're both accused of failing to order chemicals to control corrosion. Michigan environmental regulators have acknowledged misreading federal regulations and wrongly telling the city that the chemicals were not needed.
Flint city's utilities administrator Michael Glasgow also was charged Wednesday with tampering with evidence for changing lead water-testing results and willful neglect of duty as a public servant.
Busch is on paid leave after being suspended earlier. Prysby recently took another job in the agency. Glasgow testified at a legislative hearing that Prysby told him phosphate was not needed to prevent lead corrosion from pipes until after a year of testing.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said at press conference today, "They failed Michigan families. Indeed, they failed us all -- I don't care where you live." He also guaranteed that there will be more charges filed, but didn't give details.
Full story: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/michigan-fli...s-charges/
Two state regulators and a Flint utilities employee were charged Wednesday with evidence tampering and other felonies and misdemeanors, for the first time raising the lead-tainted water crisis in the Michigan city to a criminal case.
Michael Prysby, a state DEQ district engineer, and Stephen Busch, who is a supervisor with the DEQ's Office of Drinking Water, were both charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, tampering with evidence and misdemeanor violations of water law. They're both accused of failing to order chemicals to control corrosion. Michigan environmental regulators have acknowledged misreading federal regulations and wrongly telling the city that the chemicals were not needed.
Flint city's utilities administrator Michael Glasgow also was charged Wednesday with tampering with evidence for changing lead water-testing results and willful neglect of duty as a public servant.
Busch is on paid leave after being suspended earlier. Prysby recently took another job in the agency. Glasgow testified at a legislative hearing that Prysby told him phosphate was not needed to prevent lead corrosion from pipes until after a year of testing.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said at press conference today, "They failed Michigan families. Indeed, they failed us all -- I don't care where you live." He also guaranteed that there will be more charges filed, but didn't give details.
Full story: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/michigan-fli...s-charges/