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U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Flickr Creative Commons
Former Flint mayor Karen Weaver.
Former Flint mayor Karen Weaver doubled down on comments she made about her relationship with former governor Rick Snyder in a recent VICE news article, telling WDIV that she believes Snyder should be in prison.
"Do I think Rick Snyder should be held accountable for this and go to prison? I think not only Rick Snyder should be held accountable but others should as well," Weaver said. “We want them all held accountable, and I don't want there to be any confusion about what I think of that. We deserve it ... We deserve justice in the city of Flint."
Weaver continued, saying, "I've always said that it's interesting, if someone had come in and shot the number of people that died in Flint, if they shot that many people, they'd be under the prison. And I'm not understanding why death by water doesn't hold that same punishment."
Weaver also maintained one of the most explosive allegations she leveled in the VICE story: that Snyder approached her during Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's inauguration and asked her to use her influence to ask Congressman Elijah Cummings, who was the incoming chairman for the U.S. House Oversight Committee, to back off of Snyder in his investigation into the Flint water crisis.
"I kind of just chuckled to myself, because I said, "Hmmm, if he only knew, I've already talked with Elijah Cummings, and he is coming after him full throttle,'" Weaver said.
Cummings died later that year.
State officials also responded to the VICE report, denying that the statute of limitations on criminal charges were running out this month — though they declined to elaborate. Last year, Attorney General Dana Nessel fired top prosecutors and investigators pursuing the case and dropped charges against Snyder officials because the probe was "flawed."
Earlier this year, two Flint lawmakers proposed legislation that would extend the statute of limitations for misconduct in office.
The VICE report suggests Snyder knew of the Flint water crisis much longer than he originally testified under oath, and orchestrated a cover-up. You can read the report here.
Snyder did not respond to VICE or WDIV's requests for comment.
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