Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has a lot on his mind. In April, VICE News exposed a plan by the former governor to quiet any investigation into himself related to his mishandling of the Flint water crisis. He let it be known he wanted to be “out of the public spotlight,” according to his conversations—to just be a private citizen.
This morning, Snyder took to the pages of USA Today to lay out his case as to why he will be voting for Joe Biden this fall. While the Biden campaign can’t and won’t turn away his vote, the hypocrisy in the editorial is galling.
From Snyder’s editorial in USA Today:
In addition, President Trump lacks a moral compass. He ignores the truth.
Facts and science matter. Good decisions should be based on facts and supported by sound scientific theory whenever possible.
President Trump also has demonstrated that he does not fully appreciate public policy matters, including public health, the economy and foreign relations, nor does he seem to want to learn.
What makes this interesting is Snyder’s sudden interest in science and facts. These items never seemed to come into play for residents of Flint, Michigan. VICE’s bombshell report made it clear that Snyder knew the science, it just ... well, didn’t seem to matter then.
Investigative subpoena documents obtained by VICE, along with details from sources with knowledge of the Flint water criminal prosecution, reveal that:
- Snyder was warned about the dangers of using the Flint River as a water source a year before the water switch even occurred.
- Snyder had knowledge of the Legionella outbreak in Flint as early as October 2014, six months after the water switch—and 16 months earlier than he claimed to have learned of the deadly outbreak in testimony under oath before Congress.
- communication among Snyder, his top officials, and the state health department spiked in October 2014 around the same time state environmental and health officials traded emails and calls about the Legionella outbreak in Flint.
I guess it takes one science denier to see the danger in another one on an even grander scale.
