Dear Friends –
While it’s been a while since I’ve sent a communication, I thought it appropriate to send a note at the beginning of this year, to remind everyone that our esteemed Attorney General advised everyone publicly that she intended to put forth a report to the people about the Flint Water prosecutions and distribute more materials as they were certain there was more information the public deserved to know that was damning to the defendants. She said she would issue that report in 2024.
Well, that year has come and gone. And again, her words were used for political gain and no other purpose. I’ve attached several documents to this email, including First, an article that appeared in Gongwer, entitled “Nessel: No Regrets on Handling of Flint Water Criminal Cases.” It is quite an interesting and very frustrating read. And secondly, a two-pager that shares thoughts on questions the Attorney General’s office owes answers to the public regarding the actions and behaviors that incurred massive and unnecessary costs for the taxpayers of Michigan.
This political persecution damaged the personal and professional lives of these individuals over the past many years. Moreover, if you have not seen the article published May 14, 2024 by Bridge Magazine entitled, “Flint Water Crisis: Did “myth” of lead harm become self-fulfilling prophecy?” —the ongoing harm to Flint’s children because we cannot be honest and put their well-being first is shameful. I’ve also attached an article from the Detroit News dated October 11, 2024 entitled, “Are teachers’ views hurting Flint student learning more than lead? Study fuels fight.”
We must heal, we must move on, we must do better. We cannot let the Attorney General and her staff continue to use her office as a political whipping tool to use at her discretion. The cost is too high – both to her enemies and to the people she claims to be helping.
Dana Nessel proved she is willing to use her position and the powers entrusted to her position to punish those who don’t align with her political positions. This group remembers what RPA stands for. Relentless Positive Action. Relentless in the pursuit of solutions. Remember, Gov. Snyder and his administration finished with 87% of all bills signed into law with bipartisan support. And he and his team are rewarded how? ….. By an incoming administration’s political ambitions and overreach that have become embarrassing, humiliating, and costly for Michigan’s taxpayers.
It is time for the people to get the answers they deserve and the AG’s office to stop hiding behind the cloak of lawsuits. They can answer the questions. There is no need to wait for the lawsuit they claim will be dismissed to answer the relevant questions. If they are confident it will be dismissed, then why wait? Will their answers hurt their case?
We now have a Republican House Majority in Lansing, and we are hopeful that this balance in the Legislature will stem the downward spiral of polarizing and one-sided legislation that has been passed over the past 6 years. Michigan is served best by a bipartisan, solution-oriented Legislature that moves bills to the governor’s office that are beneficial to all of Michigan’s residents.
We are all deserving of this. I wish you the best in 2025!
Dick