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Charges Announced In Flint Water Crisis FULL Press Conference — Transcript

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0:06they'll set alright well good afternoon
0:10my name is bill shootie and i have the
0:12privilege of serving as Michigan's
0:13Attorney General thank you for coming
0:15mayor Weaver I'm so pleased you're here
0:18and I admire greatly your leadership
0:20here in the city of flint on January
0:2315th of this year I initiated and an
0:27independent investigation to determine
0:30what laws may have been broken in the
0:33Flint water crisis my job as attorney
0:36general is to enforce the law and that
0:38is what I do I've said this before and
0:42it bears repeating that so many things
0:45went so terribly wrong and tragically
0:48wrong in Flint today today we are
0:54announcing we filed criminal charges in
0:57the Flint water crisis against three
0:59individuals we have filed charges
1:02against Stephen Bush an employee of the
1:07Michigan Department of Environmental
1:08Quality and Michael frisbee also an
1:11employee of the Michigan Department of
1:13Environmental Quality we have charged
1:17each individual with three felonies
1:20three separate felonies first we've
1:24charged mr. bush and mr. frisbee with
1:27misconduct in office a felony mr. bush
1:31and mr. prison frisbee misled federal
1:34and local authorities regulatory
1:37officials and failed to provide a safe
1:40and clean water to families of Flint
1:44when we prove these allegations and we
1:47will mr. bush and mr. prysby will be
1:51facing five years in prison
1:53for this count alone we have also
1:56charged mr. bush and mr. prysby with
1:59intentionally intentionally tampering
2:02with evidence
2:03of lead levels uncertain on certain
2:07water sample samples in homes of
2:10residents of Flint we allegedly will
2:13prove that mr. bush and mr. pris be
2:16altered test results which endangered
2:20the health of citizens and families of
2:23Flint this is a four-year felony
2:26we have further charged mr. bush and mr.
2:30prysby
2:31with conspiracy conspiracy to tamper
2:34with evidence and their joint agreement
2:37to conceal test results on Flint water
2:41samples
2:41this also is a four-year felony
2:44we have charged mr. prysby with an
2:48additional felony of misconduct in
2:51office by authorizing an operating
2:56permit for the Flint water treatment
2:59plant knowing knowing that the plant
3:03would fail to provide clean and safe
3:05drinking water to families of Flint
3:08this too is a four-year felony
3:11we charged both mr. bush and mr. prysby
3:15with two misdemeanors for violating
3:17Michigan's safe drinking water act by
3:20failing by failing to require
3:23anti-corrosive be added to the Flint
3:27water system and by manipulating by
3:29manipulating water samples by directing
3:32Flint citizens to pre flush their taps
3:37these employees of the Department of
3:39Environmental Quality had a duty they
3:42had a duty to protect the health of
3:44families and citizens of Flint they
3:48failed they failed to discharge their
3:51duties they
3:53they failed in their responsibilities to
3:56protect the health and safety of
3:58families of Flint they failed Michigan
4:02families indeed they failed us all and I
4:06don't care where you live mr. michael
4:10glasgow is an employee of the city of
4:12flint working at the water treatment
4:14plant we have charged mr. Glasco with
4:17felony tampering with evidence by
4:19altering and falsifying reports the to
4:23the DEQ and the EPA we've also charged
4:28mr. Glasco with willful neglect of duty
4:30a misdemeanor by failing to protect the
4:33health of Flint families and by
4:35violating his duties under the Michigan
4:38Safe Drinking Water Act when I announced
4:43this investigation I stated I stated
4:47this was the beginning of the road back
4:50now road back to rebuilding and
4:52restoring the road back to rebuilding
4:55and restoring trust and confidence of
4:57Flint families in their government
5:02indeed this is a road back to restoring
5:07faith and confidence in all Michigan
5:10families in their government well we're
5:14on the road back and I know this will
5:17take some time but in Michigan as I made
5:20it abundantly clear I've made it
5:23abundantly clear that our system of
5:26justice applies to everybody it's not
5:28rigged known as above the law not on my
5:33watch our investigation when it is
5:37completed will be thorough it will be
5:39complete it'll be exhaustive we will
5:42enforce the law this Flint crisis team
5:47that has been assembled we will enforce
5:50the law we will protect the victims the
5:54families and citizens of Flint and we
5:56will hold
5:58each and every person each and every
6:01person who breaks the law will be held
6:04accountable we'll follow the facts
6:07without fear or favor and we'll go
6:10wherever the truth takes us and in this
6:12case
6:13wherever the emails take us these
6:18charges are only the beginning and
6:22there'll be more to come that I can
6:25guarantee you we want to introduce Todd
6:28flood who's the special counsel on the
6:30Flint water crisis team former skilled
6:35prosecutor doing a great job Todd our
6:39special counsel say a few words sir
6:41thank you yeah you bet Thank You Kip
6:43Bell good afternoon my name is Todd
6:47flood I am the special assistant
6:49attorney general and I've been charged
6:52with the task of prosecuting and
6:54investigating this case there's no I in
6:57team to my right is mr. Arena and behind
7:01me home home bound here mr. Ellis and to
7:06my far left mr. Laden prosecutor with
7:09several more back home investigating
7:13this case today as we speak and we will
7:15turn over every stone we'll go down
7:18every rabbit hole this is just the first
7:20wave I'm not gonna try this case in the
7:23press I have an ethical duty not to do
7:25that
7:26and I don't want to be grieved before I
7:27start so I won't try this case in the
7:31press I can simply tell you that the
7:33public health that's what the DEQ is
7:36charged that's their purpose that's what
7:39the law states and the public health
7:42that was violated so we start today we
7:47start today with charges and we will
7:49continue to go through every single door
7:52interview people and
7:55have the best team assembled to do that
7:58job thank you thank you sad let me turn
8:02it over next to Andy arena Andy's the
8:06former head of the FBI here in Detroit
8:08impeccable reputation
8:10tough skilled guy Andy let's go Tibet
8:14I'll be very very brief in my comments
8:17today Andy arena
8:18I'm the chief investigator for the Flint
8:21water team about two-and-a-half months
8:23ago we stood before the press a lot few
8:25of you at that time but we stood before
8:28you and we told you that we were going
8:30to put this team together and we were
8:32going to start this investigation since
8:33that day we have put together a very
8:36skilled team of investigators and
8:38prosecutors top-notch we've interviewed
8:40a number of people we have gone out and
8:43gathered volumes of evidence and we've
8:46analyzed that and reviewed that and the
8:50result is what you see today the
8:51charging of these three gentlemen
8:52doesn't mean we're done Attorney General
8:57said we're on the road to recovery I'm
8:59just getting on the edge of trim to i-75
9:01we got a long way to go we have a lot of
9:04people interview a lot of evidence to
9:05get a lot of things to go through and we
9:08will do that that's our job two and a
9:11half months ago I told the people of
9:12Flint I said where do our best to get
9:16you the answers that you deserve today
9:18ever do that promise we will get you the
9:20answers and we will hold those
9:22accountable we're not targeting any
9:24persons or people nobody's off-limits
9:28either thank you
9:32thank you very much Andy I want to just
9:34acknowledge the value I hold Ella
9:37Stafford who's one of our key
9:39investigators here in the Flint water
9:41crisis team and a veteran of the
9:44Michigan State Police and in Flint the
9:46Flint guy and thank you for your year
9:49leadership Ellis very very much now I
9:52want to introduce my friend David Layton
9:55David Layton is a smart effective
9:58skilled talented prosecutor he's a
10:01friend of mine can't think of a
10:04prosecutor in the United States of
10:06America who does a better job than David
10:09Layton and he's here to he's part of our
10:11team
10:12he adds just exceptional and added depth
10:15expertise knowledge of this community as
10:18part of this team to help the citizens
10:21of families of Flint and and Michigan
10:23I'm glad to be on David's team I'm glad
10:26he's on our team David Thank You general
10:32for the kind words Attorney General
10:35shooty special counsel flood and I have
10:38spoken frequently over the past number
10:41of weeks and shared information with
10:44respect to the investigations in short
10:48our teams are cooperating to try and
10:51obtain answers to the many questions
10:53that the citizens of Flint have as to
10:57the water and how it became tainted with
10:59lead and other toxins these charges
11:03today are an attempt to begin to answer
11:06some of those questions it's certainly
11:09not the end of the investigation and I
11:11think that is a very important statement
11:15that we're all making today it's the
11:18beginning of what is shaping up to be a
11:20very extensive investigation and one
11:24that will be lengthy I anticipate
11:27additional charges in the
11:28not-too-distant future as well as the
11:31Attorney General I
11:32viewed the evidence that the Attorney
11:34General's team of lawyers and
11:36investigators has developed that support
11:38the charges that were issued this
11:40morning I believe there is probable
11:43cause to believe that in each instance
11:46as to each defendant and as to each
11:50count that the probable cause exists to
11:53believe that the listed crimes were
11:56committed and committed by the charged
11:59individuals and obviously since she
12:02signed at the magistrate judge this
12:04morning
12:05agreed as well so thank you very much
12:08for attending an attorney general Judy I
12:10look forward to our continued
12:11cooperation thank you very much David
12:17Ellis Andy and Todd and now I'm happy to
12:21answer any questions from members of the
12:23press this members the press only and
12:25and just others as long as you want so
12:26don't worry everyone will get a chance
12:27ma'am
12:31you know all I can tell you this is just
12:35the beginning it's just a start we're
12:37gonna be aggressive and as I said my
12:39statement we will leave no stone
12:41unturned we will go where the truth
12:45directs us no fear no favor nobody's
12:47above the law I've made that very clear
12:48in my five years and so I'm not we don't
12:53reveal our our strategy but more to come
12:55more to come yeah there will be I'm just
12:59saying more to come the timing timing
13:01work it out yes sir
13:03between this devastation two different
13:05ways one with LED bleats appears this
13:08all seems to be literally this is all
13:14this is all you know this we will have a
13:17very in the middle very broad an
13:19extensive investigation will leave no
13:22stone unturned no issue won't be
13:24reviewed and we'll keep you posted the
13:34truth and I'm going to provide justice
13:36and what we've done today this is about
13:38letting everybody know and Flynn and
13:40across the state that this is the road
13:43back that nobody's above the law
13:46if there's one system of justice there's
13:48not some escape patch that doesn't
13:50matter who you are you violate the law
13:51there'd be consequences and when you
13:54provide some justice and let folks know
13:55that the system here in Michigan works I
13:58think it also provides a measure of hope
14:00doesn't solve every problem but that's
14:02what we're doing yes sir
14:09no behavior there are no tar there are
14:11no targets and nobody's ruled out please
14:16I'm not gonna get into specifics of what
14:19we've done there no targets but we will
14:21nobody nobody else yes sir you know
14:28there's as I've said before so many
14:32things went so terribly and tragically
14:35wrong and in Flint and it's you know I'm
14:39not gonna single their target out any
14:41department no department is a target but
14:47everyone will everything's on the table
14:50I can't can't be any more clear I'm not
14:52gonna get into specifics you know we're
14:55will be very thorough yes sir
15:00Todd you want to comment on that yes as
15:04it relates to a couple of them I'm not
15:06going to get into the particulars we're
15:07working that out and there will be self
15:09turn-ins
15:11yes sir I've know where I get everyone
15:27I'm not gonna get into you know what
15:30other causes obviously so many things
15:34went hugely wrong and if your family's
15:36hearing in Flint you want justice we're
15:38trying to provide that today
15:43they seem to issue
15:47what indication two guys have it work
15:50want them to just can't get mine
15:54we make decisions here on truth we make
15:57decisions here on intent we make
15:58decisions on actions or emissions that
16:01people did or did not do that's what we
16:03do yes sir yes ii don't work don't you
16:08know we're just go we're just we just
16:11look for the truth and we mail yes sir
16:30we're just listen we're we're just going
16:33for the truth period there are no
16:35scapegoats here if you break the law
16:37there are consequences that's what this
16:40is all about period playing the simple
16:42yes sir you know you know the timing and
16:47that's an internal decision not at this
16:50press conference yes mr. Pluto
17:02how do I respond to mr. polluters
17:05question on that yes I'm not going to
17:08try the case in the media the tampering
17:09it says it right there on the
17:11information you can see it and tampering
17:12can be one of many ways to do so
17:14ultimately the results that went to the
17:18DEQ and all the way up to the EPA
17:21obviously were wrong so I'm not going to
17:24get into the particulars and the facts
17:27that gave me that proof and gave my
17:29investigators proof I believe beyond a
17:32reasonable doubt that it was but that
17:34being said the information is there for
17:36you to read this and this is this will
17:40this all come out in the trial - I'm
17:42sorry
17:52we are we're working through that we
17:54have orders in place to do so we are
17:57getting them on a regular basis prior to
17:59you there's right now close to 2.5
18:02emails the volume of 2.5 million 2.5
18:07million a quick reader but yeah this
18:09downriver but anyway the there's a lot
18:13and we're going through those I get you
18:16in the back yes sir you said say that
18:21again start hearing
18:33question is do you wonder how people
18:36could have done this to other human
18:38beings
18:38yeah I mean it it cost me just despair
18:43it causes me anger I think it causes
18:47most people anger and despair so and I
18:50think if you know some of you from
18:53different parts of the state different
18:55parts of the country but the things we
18:57take for granted where you may come from
19:00don't happen in Flint just the normal
19:05things when just get out of bed whether
19:07you jump out of bed or stumble out of
19:09bed mmm no matter how you do it get out
19:11of bed you wash your face have a drink
19:12of water brush your teeth take a shower
19:14that's not normal in Flint because of
19:17the problems in Flint so that causes
19:19people to spare it causes people anger
19:21cause people frustration causes me that
19:23and as a husband father and attorney
19:26general lawyer for the citizens of
19:29Michigan I'm gonna find the truth that's
19:31what I'm going to do yes sir
19:49yeah I am well as I say I'm working
19:52shoulder-to-shoulder with the Attorney
19:54General I also have a team of about
19:56seven lawyers that are doing a parallel
20:00investigation we've kind of divided up
20:03what we're doing my investigation will
20:06absolutely continue and I anticipate
20:08there will be charges coming from our
20:10side of the investigation as well but
20:12let me reiterate that I am privy to
20:16everything that the Attorney General's
20:18investigation has revealed I've reviewed
20:21it all and there certainly was probable
20:24cause evidence to support these charges
20:26that were issued this morning and I
20:27think they're appropriate this way this
20:31is a late and shooty team get it and we
20:34work together and in every way and the
20:36blue yes sir
20:47you know when we you know we filed
20:51charges we think they'll be proven and
20:53established in a court of law and then
20:55as a consequence there are prison time
21:00prison penalties if you break the law
21:02you serve time in jail period mr.
21:04kretchner when you when you make you
21:09make charges you wanna you the judge
21:12will make that decision in sentencing
21:13and I think that'll be behind bars
21:15Tim kerchner Jim
21:29you're asking to is out of your cheating
21:31there than their action I say part
21:38pardon me
21:49I'm gonna have time to come in
21:52maybe Andy as well so I'm not time you
21:54go first and Andy will follow up as if
21:57he's got to question I was right I know
22:00Jim so as it relates to the second
22:03question first and the Legionella I
22:05charged that in the alternative you see
22:08that in that that count and you see that
22:11they obstructed the investigation based
22:14on that count that's all I'm going to
22:16get into as it related to the Legionella
22:19investigation so that's all I'm gonna
22:23get into as it relates to that yeah what
22:27Jim you confuse it what what was
22:28question one
22:32yeah yeah so Jim you and Simon and D -
22:39you know you were with me in Detroit
22:40you've been through this you've been
22:41through this drill right so you kinda
22:43know where this goes
22:44you know it's kind of a he's a train at
22:46the station and the trains leaving the
22:48station it's a really nice seats on that
22:49train and there's some in the baggage
22:51compartment and you can run and try to
22:52catch the train so usually the first
22:54person on the train gets the best seat
22:56right that's gonna we'll wrap you know
22:58people want to cooperate with us I'm
23:00sure that mr. flood and his team will
23:02would love to talk to them I'd love to
23:04talk to him yeah it could be it could be
23:11throughout throughout the investigation
23:15we're not ruling anything in or out
23:18that's for sure yes sir not today sir
23:27who hasn't had a question missing all
23:32right Ellis
23:37it hurts I was born and raised here I
23:41went to school here with the
23:42northwestern I still have family to stay
23:44here I drink this water I bathed in this
23:46water I came back up here haven't been
23:49up to Flint since last Saturday visit my
23:52visit my in-laws it really does hurt it
23:54really hurts when I have friends
23:56personal close friends
24:06they live here they look at me in it
24:11they wonder if there's any truth to this
24:14investigation I hope I gave them some I
24:16told one of my friends I said you might
24:19not believe in government or the state
24:20but believe in me you know me give me a
24:23chance that's all
24:27sir
24:40yeah well you know there's none zero you
24:43know it we have we have a there's a that
24:46we have a very strong team a very strong
24:49team that represents the state of
24:52Michigan departments and agencies in the
24:54government and since the days of Frank
24:56Kelly itched in stone we've had conflict
24:59walls that have been managed by an
25:00ethics individual ethics manager second
25:04to none we have an entirely separate
25:06legal team and the integrity and
25:10reputation of Todd and Andy and Ellis
25:15and David Layton and I as you know it's
25:19it's impeccable and we're gonna go
25:21wherever the truth leads us that's the
25:24fact that demonstrated you know a month
25:28ago filed charges against two lawmakers
25:30who broke the law filed charges against
25:33a prosecutor in the capital city who got
25:35involved in human trafficking it doesn't
25:37matter who you are what you do whether
25:39you're walking the halls of power now
25:41big up you know Shachi are doesn't
25:43matter one system of justice nothing's
25:45written in Michigan excuse me yes sir
25:55the question is whether a civil
25:57penalties criminal we're not done this
25:59is just the beginning this is just a
26:00start more to come stay tuned is what I
26:02would encourage you all to do yes sir in
26:04the back and I think that would be fired
26:12just a second check don't worry I won't
26:17forget you pal who hasn't had a question
26:19please yeah then we'll go back make sure
26:23every scant yeah questions are done
26:24don't worry
26:39dad new owner Chuck response - yeah that
26:46defense didn't work in several places
26:47when you know you're ordered to do
26:49something right Nuremberg and the like
26:51so you can't be told to do something
26:53that's wrong and do it knowing that it
26:56was wrong it's a tough tough situation
27:01and I'm sure the fact says you already
27:04talked about with regards to mr. Glasgow
27:06but when you did a criminal act an overt
27:09act and you had the corrupt mind to do
27:12that act you're gonna be charged well
27:18then you would ask me to get into the
27:19facts and details of the case it's a
27:21good way of doing that but I can't and I
27:23won't
27:28the facts that we revealed and came up
27:32with as we have the investigators go
27:35through the case showed that he did
27:37things on his own accord so I'm not
27:39going to get into those facts and I'm
27:41not gonna get into what he did
27:43specifically because that would be
27:44trying my case in the media I wanted
27:50here in Genesee well I'm gonna go
27:52through other questions here yes sir no
27:59no issues no issues questions about Cara
28:02Gandhi no issues off the table no techno
28:05targets this would be broad full
28:07complete exhaustive I'm not gonna go
28:12into the detail of what we're doing
28:13yes please
28:22now so the Legionella that was the
28:26Legionnaires that was being investigated
28:27as you look to the first count there was
28:31a person from the Genesee County Health
28:33Department that was investigating and is
28:36investigating currently the Legionella
28:39break outbreak
28:41it's been shown and signed off today
28:45that that investigation was an essence
28:48obstructed and prevented with for
28:52whatever reason I'm not gonna get into
28:54that so I hope that answers your
28:56question twelve people died so we
28:59understand the significance and
29:01seriously of this now I'm working my way
29:03yes please Rick
29:25you know I I can't imagine the
29:28motivation and I I just I can't get into
29:33it as I said earlier it causes anger
29:37frustration just fear despair pessimism
29:39and we're trying to get the road back
29:41now I'm not saying it happens overnight
29:43and it's going to take some time but
29:45these actions today are an attempt to
29:48let folks know that there's one system
29:50of justice and truth is coming Chad
30:02and Andy if you need to pitch in here to
30:05you you can see it through the
30:09statements that they made and those
30:11statements obviously being false the
30:14statements they made were and again
30:20you're asking me to get into the facts
30:22of the specifics so I'm not going to do
30:26that but clearly it's kind of you know
30:30plain as the nose on your face
30:31right they did certain acts that mislead
30:34both Genesee County health officials and
30:38mislead those employees at the EPA
30:41including but not limited to mr. del
30:44Toro so as it relates to motive and
30:49those other questions it's clear on the
30:51motive and I'm not going to get into the
30:55proof on the motive right now that'll
30:58come out in court yes sir
31:02I announced on January 15th I was
31:08initiating initiating an independent
31:11investigation of this issue in Flint
31:14this health crisis and today's April
31:1720th more to come
31:19yes sir there's nobody there's no target
31:29and no one's off the table I can't be
31:30any more clear on that
31:31yes sir yes they are
31:36I talked to Bart I I talked to Barb
31:39McQuaid yesterday the United States
31:41Attorney for the Eastern District of
31:43Michigan shared with her what were you
31:45doing you know I can't speak I can't
31:49speak for barb she's a talented woman we
31:52work we work we work closely absolutely
31:55yes
32:00become bigger than original economy what
32:04the slope is
32:06well I worked on some you know the
32:10Youngstown corruption cases probably the
32:12biggest largest corruption case in the
32:14history of the FBI the quantity of
32:16Patrick the underwear bomber I've been
32:17involved in a lot of cases I think I
32:19said this in our first press conference
32:21really why did I come out of retirement
32:23you know my life is this when I
32:25questioned why are you getting back into
32:26this we have a really dear wife is the
32:29same way we have this great life because
32:31the people Flint deserve answers and I
32:34really think as a professional this is
32:37the biggest case in the history of the
32:39state of Michigan and I think the
32:42history will bear me out on that when
32:43we're done with this thing this is
32:45widespread and this is something that is
32:49investigator this is this is why you
32:50suit up you know this is why you're in
32:52the game to take on something like this
32:54all right yes sir
32:58yeah I'm not going to get into specifics
33:02it's thorough complete exhaustive
33:04independent boom yes pardon
33:14I'm not I'm not gonna get get get into
33:17that but it's broad we're not holding
33:19anything back yet whatsoever all right
33:23listen
33:24thank you very much more

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This page contains the full transcript of Charges Announced In Flint Water Crisis FULL Press Conference by Live On Air News 2, generated from the public captions YouTube serves with the video. The transcript has 4,299 words across 635 segments, with the original timestamps preserved so you can click any line to jump to that moment in the embedded player.

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