682 1 minute read Former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder was charged yesterday for “willful neglect of duty” following the lead poisoning of tens of thousands of people in the city of Flint. The misdemeanor charge carries a possible prison sentence of up to one year. For six years, Flint residents have fought hard for justice. Although the charge itself is not nearly enough considering the magnitude of Snyder’s crime, this marks the first time in Michigan history that a governor has been charged for acts committed during their tenure. In 2014, the state of Michigan appointed an ’emergency manager’ for Flint, a majority Black and deeply impoverished city, with dictatorial powers over city government. Bypassing all elected officials, the emergency manager unhooked the water supply for the residents of Flint from the Great Lakes and switched to the Flint River in an effort to cut costs regardless of the impact on human life.