At a news conference Monday morning, Attorney General Bill Schuette announced he was appointing a former prosecutor as special counsel, along with the assistance of a retired head of the Detroit FBI to investigate whether any laws were broken during the process that led to Flint’s water being lead-tainted.
NBC News quoted AG Schuette: “Words can barely describe this tragedy. Things went terribly wrong. I would certainly not bathe a newborn child or a young infant in this bad water and if you can’t drink the bad water you shouldn’t pay for it.”
Todd Flood is a former assistant prosecutor for Wayne County, which includes Detroit, was named to spearhead the investigation, and Andy Arena, who headed up the FBI office in Detroit from 2007 to 2012 will assist him. ABC News is reporting that Schuette also said his office would be looking into what can be done to prevent Flint residents from being billed for their water.
Sean “Diddy” Combs and Mark Wahlberg, part-owners of a bottled water company, have pledged to donate one million bottles of water to the people of Flint, and to continue sending bottles until the crisis is over. The first shipment of AQUAhydrate bottles water is due to arrive on Wednesday, according to Fox News.
Rappers Eminem, Wiz Khalifa and Big Sean have also pledged their support to the residents of Flint through pledges and donations. Around 40 percent of Flint residents live in poverty, and the average household income is only $25,000. These residents rely on the bottled water, and will have to use it for a long time.
Flint city officials have already warned that flushing all the contaminates out of the system would take time while replacing pipes would cost in excess of $1.5 billion, money the city doesn’t have.
Monthly water bills in the economically depressed city run $140 a month, and city officials have already said that not being allowed to raise water rates and put liens against those who don’t pay their bills would bankrupt the city.
