Flint resident requests grand jury investigation of Gov. Rick Snyder
Lawyer claims Snyder broke law using public money to pay for legal defense
DETROIT - An Ingham County judge is being asked to OK a grand jury investigation of Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder over his authorizing public monies to pay for legal fees.
The legal maneuver claims the governor is breaking the law by using public money to pay for legal defense. He's authorized $3.4 million for himself and multiple state employee's, which is what the legal complaint is challenging.
"After what has happened in this city, it's just a slap in the face," said Keri Webber, who's asking for the investigation.
"Gov. Rick Snyder can stand there and say, 'I take responsibility. I'm going to fix this. The buck stops with me,'" Webber said. "Yet (he has) the unmitigated gall to turn around and take $2 million from the citizens of Michigan."
Flags mark the spots where the lead pipes have been removed outside of Webber's Flint home, but the damage has already been done.
"There's no words," she said.
The entire family is suffering with the effects of lead poisoning. What got the ball rolling? Her teenage daughter Victoria went in for an MRI. Her doctors found lead riddling the teen's body.
Webber's husband has uncontrollable high blood pressure and had an eye stroke. Victoria continues to struggle and her daughter Stephanie contracted Legionnaire's. Their beloved dog, Jasmine, died from lead.
The DPA said an acceptable level of lead in water is 15 parts per billion in the Webber home. Webber said she received a phone call that her home's level was 1,800 parts per billion.
Webber is sick too, but more than anything, she's angry. Former Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer is her lawyer who is filing the case Wednesday.
"We are asking the Ingham County Circuit Court to conduct a criminal investigation of the governor's authorization for payment of his own legal fees," Brewer said.
In essence, Brewer is asking for a one-man grand jury to perform the investigation. This could become a major issue if the attorney general does actually charge the governor in connection with the Flint water crisis.
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