Two Democrats on the House panel investigating the lead-contaminated water in an eastern Michigan city are asking Gov. Rick Snyder to direct 15 current and former state government officials to consent to interviews, and the Republican governor signaled he may be open to the idea.
Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland and Rep. Brenda Lawrence of Michigan sent a letter to Snyder Wednesday detailing their efforts to interview 15 officials who have resisted attempts to be interviewed by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
“We have bent over backwards to address every argument these officials put forward over the past month to avoid cooperating with our requests, and we have made multiple offers to accommodate them,” the letter states. “Yet, despite our good-faith efforts, not one of these state officials has agreed to be interviewed on the record or to provide any documents in response to our requests.”
The committee is investigating the lead water crisis in Flint that began in April 2014, when a state emergency manager appointed by Snyder signed off on a symbolic vote from the Flint City Council to change the city’s water source. The move aimed to cut costs by requiring the city to take its water from the Flint River instead of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department while a new pipeline was built to connect the city to Lake Huron.
The Flint River water, however, was so acidic that it caused the lead pipes bringing water from the city’s cast iron mains into homes to corrode. Lead leached off the pipes and into the drinking water throughout the city.
The state and the federal government have declared a state of emergency, and Flint residents are not able to drink the water coming out of their taps.
Lawrence and Cummings, the top Democrat on the House committee, wrote that they have asked for interviews with 15 people related to the crisis and have asked for emails, texts and other documents related to the crisis to be turned over.
However, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, which represents 12 of the individuals, has rejected in-person interviews in Washington and phone interviews with each person. Three former state officials who have left their positions declined to be interviewed through private attorneys.
According to the letter, Cummings revised the request to interviewing just two state officials, former Snyder Chief of Staff Dennis Muchmore and Transformation Manager Richard Baird. That offer also was rejected.
Cummings and Lawrence said Snyder could live up to his promises of transparency by directing the state employees to speak with the committee.
“You clearly have the authority to direct current state officials to cooperate with Congress and the ability to encourage former state employees to do the same,” the letter states, “but we have seen no evidence that you have taken either step.”
Snyder is set to appear before the committee Thursday.
Snyder spokesman Ari Adler said the governor is complying with congressional requests to the best of his abilities and Snyder encourages others to do the same..
“We have been cooperating fully with the Congressional committee’s investigation and encourage others to do the same,” Adler said. “The Governor’s Office released tens of thousands of pages of documents and emails related to the Flint water crisis and state departments will be releasing even more once they are collected. In the meantime, Gov. Snyder has been preparing to answer all the questions the committee may have for him.”
“He is looking forward to testifying for the opportunity it provides to apologize again to the people of Flint, explain to Congress what went wrong at all levels of government, and provide further details on what he is doing to correct the problems at the state level.”
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the letter.
