Snyder Had to Know about Flint Water Crisis, Must Resign

"The only thing that rivals the poisoning of Flint for incredulity is the idea that Governor Snyder didn't know when all of his inner circle clearly knew Flint's water was tainted and unfit for use," said Tawana Petty of the People's Water Board Coalition. "As if the residents rising up and rejecting the brown, nasty smelling water wasn't enough, his own staff was calling the water 'downright scary' a year ago. Anyone with any decency would have said 'enough.' That's what we've been saying for a while: Enough! Snyder must go!"

"Justice for Flint begins with the end of the Snyder Administration and must include total repeal of the anti-voter laws they used against African American communities from Benton Harbor to Highland Park from Detroit to Flint," said Shea Howell of Detroiters Resisting Emergency Management. "We have the poisoning of Flint, stealing of Detroit pensioners savings and healthcare, massive water shutoffs in Detroit and Highland Park, and debt-ridden and dilapidated schools as just a partial list of the devastation wrought by emergency managers."

"It's not enough to remove bad actors if you leave the tools in place they used to devastate people's lives," said Sylvia Orduno of Michigan Welfare Rights Organization and the People's Water Board Coalition. "The Republican lawmakers don't get a pass since they forced the Emergency Manager Law down peoples' throats after the law was roundly rejected by voters. The disenfranchisement of Michigan's African American and low-income families, in particular, are at the heart of the Flint water crisis and the massive water shutoffs. Had Snyder's imposed, emergency managers not ignored the will of the people, we could have avoided much tragedy."