A look at the evidence against former Gov. Rick Snyder in the Flint water crisis investigation

Snyder faces 2 misdemeanor charges

FLINT, Mich. – Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is facing two misdemeanor charges of willful neglect of duty after a lengthy investigation into the Flint water crisis.

Each charge is a one-year misdemeanor and/or a $1,000 fine. Snyder’s legal team is preparing to defend him against those charges.

READ: Flint water crisis investigation: Here’s who was charged

The case against Snyder is focused on three key things: Witness interviews, phone records and emails.

The investigative team went through thousands of documents and searched computers, iPads and phones while working to establish a timeline. They wanted to find out what Snyder knew and when he knew it.

There are a few timelines that phone records and emails could help explain. When did Snyder know the water was an issue? When did he realize that it was a public health emergency? Some people point to the legionnaires’ outbreak as being key.

Watch the video above for the full report.


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About the Authors:

Hank Winchester is Local 4's Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV's "Help Me Hank" Consumer Unit. He works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off metro Detroiters.

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.