press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan

January 26, 2016

Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@progressmichigan.org

Flint Emails Sought Under Common Law Rights

FOIA laws so broken in Michigan, watchdog group tries a new route to transparency 

MICHIGAN — Today, Progress Michigan sent a Public Records Request to Gov. Rick Snyder’s office requesting all documents related to the Flint Water Crisis through Michigan’s common law right of Michigan citizens to access and inspect public records and documents.

In a request to the Governor’s office, the organization writes, “Pursuant to the common law right of Michigan citizens to access and inspect public records and documents, I am requesting, on behalf of Progress Michigan, electronic copies of any and all correspondence regarding the water in Flint from January 1, 2013 to the present date. This request includes emails sent or received by yourself and all staff in the executive office.”

“We still don’t have a clear picture of what happened in Flint and, frankly, the Governor’s email dump last week only provided a small glimpse into what happened. Snyder has refused to drop his Freedom of Information Act exemption in the wake of this man-made crisis, so this is the next step in getting answers,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “It’s time to end the FOIA exemption held by the governor’s office and the legislature. Until that time, we will do everything in our power as a watchdog organization to get the answers the people deserve.”

A complete copy of the letter can be found here.

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