Michigan AG releases Flint water crisis report, says final accountability step her office can take

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said a report released Tuesday on the lead-water crisis in the city is the final step her office can take toward accountability, years after a state Supreme Court ruling shut down criminal cases against a former governor and eight other people.

Flint residents suffered through years of health concerns after lead from old pipes leached into the city’s drinking water once officials began drawing water from the Flint River to save money in 2014. Most of the 101-page report provides a history of the crisis, local and state officials' slow response and the attempt to bring 42 felony and misdemeanor charges against nine people, including former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

Nessel, a Democrat in her final term, said the report is meant to be a thorough public account of the criminal investigation, and she regretted that the details were never presented in court to juries.

“I hope this offering revealing the inner workings of our dedicated investigators and prosecutors who helmed this yearslong effort and the facts and evidence which guided them may tell one part of the story of the Flint water crisis, and put the truth in the hands of the people of Flint who deserve it the most,” Nessel said.

After taking office in 2019, Nessel fired a special prosecutor who had brought criminal charges and assembled a new team of attorneys to determine whether crimes were committed. That team ultimately brought charges against Snyder and other key officials, presenting their evidence to a judge who acted as a one-person grand jury.

The state Supreme Court threw out those charges in 2022, saying the judge had no power to issue indictments under the grand jury law.

Nessel was not involved in the criminal cases, deciding instead to focus on settling lawsuits against the state and wall herself off from the criminal investigation. But on Tuesday she defended prosecutors' decision to seek the charges directly from a judge, calling it “the smartest possible move” at the time. She also questioned the political implications of the ruling, noting three of the justices who joined the unanimous ruling were appointed by Snyder.

“I think it’s impossible to separate those things,” Nessel said.

Nessel said it was frustrating that “justice has evaded the people of Flint” and they will not get their day in criminal court to see officials be held accountable for the water crisis.

The Associated Press sent an email Tuesday seeking comment from Snyder.

Prosecutors said in 2023 that a report would come out the following year summarizing their investigation. Nessel said it took more time to redact information from grand jury proceedings that must remain secret and summarize millions of other documents.

Cash-strapped Flint was under state financial control when it stopped getting its water from Detroit and began drawing it from the Flint River while waiting to connect to a new regional system. The move was made to save money. But chemicals used to treat the river water caused lead to leach from old pipes.

As state health officials said the water was safe, doctors started reporting high levels of lead in the blood of Flint children.

Snyder acknowledged the lead problem in September 2015 leading the state to provide water filters and testing of water in Flint schools. In early 2016, he declared a state of emergency in Flint. Congress eventually approved a bill authorizing water projects nationwide. About $170 million went to Flint to address lead in the drinking water.

In 2020, a judge approved a $626 million settlement for Flint residents and others who were exposed to lead-contaminated water. The Flint water crisis prompted other communities across the state and in other states to seek solutions to how drinking water was delivered to homes and businesses.

Associated Press writer Corey Williams contributed from Detroit. Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut.

FILE - A sample of lead pipe from Flint, Mich., sits on display during a tour of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Center For Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Feb. 14, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel, File)

FILE - The Flint water plant tower is seen, Jan. 6, 2022, in Flint, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

FILE - Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder delivers his State of the State address at the state Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Jan. 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Al Goldis, File)

FILE = The Flint River flows Jan. 6, 2022, in Flint, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

FILE - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel speaks during a news conference on Sept. 19, 2022, outside of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office in Flint, Mich. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP, File)

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A dogged Lions side that led for more than an hour was pipped by New Zealand 41-35 at Ellis Park on Tuesday.

The All Blacks swept all four provincial teams to remain undefeated on their tour of South Africa, but they were given a serious scare in an entertaining 12-try contest.

New Zealand had only three players backing up from last Saturday's test victory over South Africa on the same ground and involved all six injury replacements summoned on tour — including two players who arrived on Monday — plus a debut for prop Saula Ma'u.

Their defense struggled. They trailed 14-0 after seven minutes, were still behind at halftime and found themselves down 35-17 in the 47th. The Lions threatened to become the first South African provincial side to beat New Zealand since Orange Free State, now known as the Cheetahs, in 1976.

But like the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls the All Blacks had already beaten, the Lions were out of season and not match fit. They hadn't played since May 30 in the United Rugby Championship quarterfinals.

The All Blacks stormed back in the last half-hour with four successive tries; two by Rieko Ioane, a second for flanker Ethan Blackadder that gave them the lead for the first time in the 62nd, and a second by winger Emoni Narawa in the 79th that finally settled the tourists' nerves.

Standouts for New Zealand included Blackadder — whose father Todd was on the last traditional tour in 1996 — inside center Timoci Tavatavanawai, Narawa, and flyhalf Richie Mo'unga, back from Japan and in a black jersey for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final.

Mo'unga, like New Zealand, got better as the game got older, but he and Beauden Barrett could convert only three of their seven tries. On the other hand, Chris Smith, at home, converted all five of the Lions tries and hit the post with a long penalty.

Early pressure by Lions long-time captain Francke Horn resulted in a dummy and try by scrumhalf Nico Steyn, who has been in the Springboks camp. Moments later, All Blacks scrumhalf Noah Hotham was intercepted by Siba Mahashe who ran in untouched. Mahashe was only 22 and carrying hype. The recent Junior Bok was wanted by the Blitzbok sevens and regarded as a Bob Skinstad type. He was the player of the match.

Narawa laid off a try for Hotham and finished one that started from a mark by Mo'unga in his 22.

But the Lions shot further ahead again through winger Kelly Mpeku.

Wonderful handling by New Zealand produced a try for Blackadder but one for winger Fehi Fineanganofo on halftime was ruled out by a forward pass.

Winger Erich Cronjé started and finished a Lions try 42 seconds into the new half, and captain Horn scored from a pushover try as the All Blacks scrum creaked again.

But the Lions' preseason conditioning fell away and the All Blacks were ruthless. Against the four provinces they have owned the last quarter when they have scored 12 of their total 29 tries.

The second test is on Saturday in Cape Town.

The Springboks cleared Siya Kolisi to play after a grade-two hamstring tear on Aug. 8 against Argentina. He will also captain them. Paul de Villiers dropped out of the matchday 23.

See AP’s full rugby coverage here

New Zealand's Ethan Blackadder scores a try during an international friendly rugby match between Lions and New Zealand, in Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

New Zealand's Emoni Narawa, front, is challenged by Lions' Nico Steyn during an international friendly rugby match between Lions and New Zealand, in Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)