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LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Authorities investigating Flint's water crisis have used search warrants to seize state-owned mobile devices from former governor Rick Snyder and 65 other former and current officials , the Associated Press news agency reported.
The warrants were requested two weeks ago by the Attorney General's Office and signed by a Flint Judge, according to documents that the PA has obtained through requests for public documents.
Attorney General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Attorney Kym Worthy, who is participating in the investigation, confirmed that they have executed a series of search warrants related to Flint's lead-contaminated water investigation. in 2014-15 and a deadly outbreak of legionellosis.
The Flint water crisis was one of the worst man-made ecological disasters in US history. Untreated water leached lead from pipes and into Flint's homes and businesses, while cost-cutting finance directors – appointed by Snyder – ran the city.
The investigation culminated in charges against 15 government officials or former government members, including two members of Snyder's cabinet, a Republican who stepped down in December. But no one is behind bars, and some residents of Flint believe that the main players who could have prevented the main debacle are escaping easily.
"As stated in recent motions, the prosecution is aware of the important potential evidence that has not been provided to the initial prosecution team since the beginning of the investigation. investigation, "Hammoud said in a statement issued Monday following the AP report. "The team is currently obtaining this evidence through various means, including search warrants. The team is also conducting a thorough review of existing and newly received evidence regarding the Flint water crisis. "
A warrant, signed May 19, lists all the contents of Snyder's mobile phone, iPad and hard drive issued by the state. Similar information was sought on the devices of 33 employees in his office, 11 from the Department of Environmental Quality and 22 from the Department of Health and Human Services.
The evidence was initially obtained by former Special Attorney Todd Flood with subpoenas. As he was kept in a division of the Attorney General's office, Hammoud took the unusual step of obtaining a warrant to search another part of the office. She has been managing the probe since January.
"We are doing everything in our power to comply," said Dan Olsen, spokesperson for Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel, who is not involved in the criminal investigation and who instead manages brought by residents of Flint. After succeeding former Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette this year, she appointed Hammoud to conduct the investigation.
A similar mandate was also issued to the Department of Technology, Management and Budget.
"The department is complying with the mandate. We can not discuss further details as this is part of an ongoing litigation, "said spokesman Caleb Buhs. A spokesman for the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy – formerly the Ministry of Quality of the Environment – confirmed that a term had been served the week last.
The warrants seek data on the accused in the investigation, but also on uncharged officials such as Snyder, former environmental quality director, Dan Wyant, and various people working in Snyder's office, including former Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley, Richard. Baird and the chief of staff Dick Posthumus.
Snyder's lawyer, Brian Lennon, declined to comment on the warrants on Monday, saying that they were part of the ongoing litigation.
The warrants came after Hammoud announced this year that boxes of records had been found in the basement of a building, including phone extractions and a "treasure" of other documents stored on hard drives that would not have been submitted in response to subpoenas. She asked for long breaks in criminal cases to examine boxes and other evidence, but the judges refused to suspend the case for six months.
Flood was removed from his duties as special prosecutor in April after conducting the three-year investigation. No one in Snyder's office was charged.
Hammoud accused Flood of mismanaging the production of documents and other evidence gathered from state agencies. He defended his work by claiming to have acted professionally.
Separately, another Attorney General's attorney appeared in court to defend departmental lawyers who had helped Flood collect and catalog lots of documents. Christina Grossi stated that the staff did not commit any wrongdoing.
According to the Michigan law, the affidavit submitted by Hammoud to have the warrants signed by Judge Nathaniel Perry III will not be made public until 56 days, although prosecutors may seek to remove it longer.
AP filed Freedom of Information requests with the Attorney General's Office and the Budget Office to review the warrants they received.
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