Michigan AG releases Flint water crisis report, says final accountability step her office can take

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a report on Tuesday detailing the lead-water crisis in Flint, which she described as the final accountability measure her office can undertake. The crisis began in 2014 when officials switched the city's water source to the Flint River to save money, causing lead to leach into the drinking water and creating significant health concerns for residents.

The 101-page report provides a thorough history of the crisis, including the slow response by local and state officials and the effort to charge nine individuals, including former Governor Rick Snyder, with 42 felony and misdemeanor crimes. Nessel, who is in her final term, expressed regret that the details of the investigation were never presented in court and hoped the report could provide a public account of the criminal investigation.

After taking office in 2019, Nessel replaced a special prosecutor who had brought charges against Snyder and other officials, forming a new team of attorneys to determine if crimes had been committed. However, the state Supreme Court overturned those charges in 2022, ruling that the judge did not have the power to issue indictments under the grand jury law.