LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Rick Snyder has declined an invitation to testify before a Washington, D.C. committee next week on the Flint water crisis and what’s being done to rectify the situation.
Snyder had been invited to appear before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 10 in Washington D.C.
Instead, Snyder has plans to present his fiscal year 2017 budget in Lansing the same day, according to his deputy press secretary.
The committee, which includes Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee of Flint had previously sent a letter to the governor requesting he appear:
“To date, Congress has not heard testimony from you on the Flint water crisis. Unfortunately, a prior Congressional hearing this week did not include top state officials, including emergency financial managers appointed by you to run the city of Flint. Seeing how it was your administration’s decisions that led to this public health crisis, including Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law, we believe it is important to hear testimony from you on this matter.
The ongoing Flint water crisis is a terrible tragedy. As the Governor of the state of Michigan, the families of Flint and all Americans deserve to hear testimony directly from you on how this man-made crisis happened, and what is being done at the state level to make it right.”
The committee hearing is entitled “The Flint Water Crisis: Lessons for Protecting America’s Children.”
Snyder was not invited to testifybefore a congressional hearing held Feb. 3 where MDEQ director Keith Creigh and Virginia Tech professor Marc Edwards appeared and were grilled by lawmakers. Several Democratic members on the committee expressed anger the governor hadn’t been invited by the Republican-led committee.
Former Flint emergency manager Darnell Earley was served a subpoena last week after refusing to testify before the same committee. The House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee does not have the same subpoena power.
