For the first time, since he began murdering and maiming the residents of Flint, Sturmbannführer Rick Snyder (R-MI) testilied [sp. intentional] before Congress. Even though it is well documented that Snyder’s aids knew the water was poisonous before hew switched the water supply to the Flint River, Snyder claimed ignorance until just recently. It should come as no surprise that Congressional Republicans defended him. I suspect that some were envious enough that he got to kill and injure blacks, that they want to help him get away with it, as there is certainly no valid justification for defending him.
The good news for Flint, Mich., residents who attended the third and final House Oversight Committee hearing on their town’s water crisis was that Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy were both castigated on a public stage.
The bad news: The hearing was as divided as ever, with Democrats almost exclusively focusing their ire on Snyder, and Republicans going so far as to praise him. During three hearings on Flint over February and March, only three individual members of Congress have broken partisan ranks in the blame game.
At Thursday’s hearing, Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) called on McCarthy to resign, while ranking member Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) called on Snyder to resign.
All three hearings in the committee have been partisan tugs-of-war over whether to focus on Snyder’s shortcomings (Democrats’ preference) or the EPA’s (Republicans’ preference). Chaffetz has noted multiple times that Congress has jurisdiction over EPA’s funding, not over Michigan’s state government. Hence, Republicans feel that EPA is the appropriate target.
On Thursday, three Republicans not only defended Snyder, but praised him.
“You’ve accepted far more blame for this problem than you deserve,” Rep. John Duncan (R-Tenn.) told Snyder, adding that Flint’s economic problems date back “long before you took office.”… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Morning Consult>
Perhaps McCarthy could have done more to push the issue. such as declaring a federal emergency in Flint sooner than she did, but the truth is that Snyder’s she did inform Snyder’s aides on multiple occasions, and they hindered the EPA’s ability to stop the crisis. Shifting blame to her, is just a smoke screen.
Rachel Maddow covered the story quite well.
An article in Mother Jones has several more video excerpts.
Herr Snyder is using a “poor me” stance, saying that he will have to live with the deaths and disabilities for the rest of his life. I know authentic remorse, when I see it from my volunteer work with prisoners, and Snyder was just trying to evoke pity. If his remorse was authentic, he would be spending the State’s money on his victims, not on his own civil and criminal defense. If his remorse was authentic, he would resign. For now he should be charged, tried, convicted, and imprisoned. And every Republican that has praised and defended his crimes should join the ranks of the unemployed in November.
Every Republican in Office
Is One Republican Too Many!!!
20 Responses to “Republicans Love Sturmbannführer Snyder”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Thanks for the details TC–I couldn't face watching myself…there were EPA resignations already–Snyder should follow their example if there is any remorse.
Hi, JL, as you know I live in Michigan and this tbagger governor has been pillaging all the towns and cities he can get his hands on. The water in the Flint River has been contaminated for over 100 years and everyone knew it. It is from the auto factories pouring into it before they knew that it was a hazard. For this freak to now claim he didn't know, or whatever excuse he comes up with at the moment, is a lie. They deliberately gave that poisonous water to Flint, after being advised not to. It was not to save money, it was pure greed. He has a Half-Billion dollar "slush fund" filtered off the other cities they pillaged, AND another Half Billion dollar "secret" fund for the governor's use. This governor has also a 1 1/2 Billion dollars of his own since he became governor, guess where that came from? He has a heart of stone and a head of sand. I hope they can arrest him. He belongs in jail. Rachel is our hero. I wrote to her months ago about it, but didn't hear anything back until one night she told about the poisonous water in Flint (she had investigated it); and has been covering it since then. Thanks for the post. This governor has nearly destroyed this once beautiful, prosperous state.
Welcome Barb!
I've also reported the shush fund. Thanks for the local perspective.
I have been reading in comments about the Republicans trying to blame the EPA – so typical of Republicans to deny the EPA all funding and then complain they didn't do their job. Just like cutting SNAP and then blaming the dead for starving. AND THEIR BASE DOES NOT SEE IT! Sometimes I despair.
Flint, Mich. needs to keep Snyder's feet to the fire! The Repukkklicans have the EPA to blame and the Democrats are after Snyder! The Democrats at RIGHT! The Snyder bunch all knew that the water was bad and STILL let the people of Flint drink it, bathe, and wash their clothes in it!!! The goverment had lead taken of gas a long time ago because of the cars were spewing lead everywhere and showing up in kids, yet the governor of MI let the water flow ANYWAY! It maims and kills people, including babies and small kids who are at the most risk for the effects of lead poisoning!!! Yet the RepukkklicanTs are PRAISING HIM??? How STUPID AND GREEDY CAN THEY GET?? UNFRIGGINBELIEVABLE!!!!
Snyder needs to be impeached and CHARGED with the crimes of willfull injury to the population of Flint, Mich.!!! And have to pay for ALL OF IT!!! He should NOT be able to use the state's MONEY for his EARTH!!!
An article that summarizes effectively:
http://www.childrensdefense.org/newsroom/child-watch-columns/child-watch-documents/FlintsDisposablePoorChildren.html#comment
I read that too, and this sentence jumped out at me:
A state-employed nurse reportedly dismissively told a Flint mother whose son was diagnosed with an elevated blood lead level: “It is just a few IQ points. … It is not the end of the world.”
If that doesn't outrage you, you have no outrage left.
My mind reeled that a supposed health professional could be so UNprofessional, cruel and callous in making a remark like the.
So I had to Google it – and sure enough, right there in the New York Times is the above quote.
I hope s/he was disciplined in some way shape or form.
This is one of those times when I wish I could "green star" or "recommend" or "upvote" or "like" a comment on PP. Please consider your self commended.
Horror after horror after horror!!!
Sad. Just downright sad.
The governor should have resigned on the spot right then and there, when Mr. Cummings said so. This is an absolutely disgrace on his part, and so pitiful for the residents and those children who live there.
How repulsive that any Repug, any one in that room praised this man for what he did, …..they should be fired too. He doesn't deserve anything, except a cell. For a long, long time.
Thanks, Tom for this.
I've come across several suggestions as an appropriate punishment for Snyder's willful malfeasance. What do you favor?
[1] Twenty-five years hard labor replacing Flint’s water pipes infrastructure
[2] Personally taking care of all the medical and nursing needs of the children of Flint who have been damaged by his willful, careless acts
[3] Life-Long Taste-Tester for Flint Water
[4] More than one of the above
[5] All of the above
[6] I can do better than those [See my comment]
All of the above!
[7] BIG Saguaro suppository.
All of the above, with the caveat that, if he does #3 he won't live the necessary 25 years to finish #1. But I'm down with that.
He, and everyone who was aware of the dangers to the populace should be prosecuted immediately!
Snyder's mea culpa was so disingenuous . . . it was sickening and disgusting!
Snyder needs to move from the State House to the "big house". And I do not think Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy is not without a certain amount of responsibility, but the main culprit is Snyder.
The man needs to be tried, tarred and feathered, and driven to the La Brea tar pits of California, unceremoniously dumped in, and a sign erected for future paleontologists: "Here lies one particular version of Homo Dicktus."
No, mr. Snyder, you don't know the meaning of the word "remorse" if you use about a million dollars of tax-payers money in legal fees to get you of the hook. You don't know what remorse means when you try to put the blame on the FPA. You don't know how to feel remorse if you've done NOTHING to alleviate the problem except tell people to call a number if they want bottled water. You don't have any remorse if you just sit there in a hearing, blaming every one else and feeling sorry for yourself because "you have to live with it". You're just another sociopathic Republican, incapable of empathy or remorse and having only your self-interest to guide you when you don't resign, mr. Snyder.
Every time this House Oversight Committee has a hearing, I'm very impressed with mr. Cummings and his soft-spoken outspokenness when it comes to Republican sleaziness. His in my list of (Social) Democrats America should have more off, along with Sanders, Warren and Oregon's Merkley.
Thanks, hugs and AMEN to all.