CNN’s Jake Tapper vows to ‘shame’ officials who caused Flint water crisis: ‘I’m sorry it took us so long’
CNN’s Jake Tapper vows to ‘shame’ officials who caused Flint water crisis: ‘I’m sorry it took us so long’
CNN’s Jake Tapper promised Flint’s mayor that he would help “shame” officials who caused and then covered up the Michigan city’s water crisis.
Mayor Karen Weaver, who rode a wave of voter anger over the situation into office in November, said she noticed something wrong with the water immediately after the city stopped buying pretreated Lake Huron water from Detroit and instead began drawing its supply from the Flint River.
Weaver said she refused to drink the water, which has been found to contain high levels of lead and may have contributed to the deaths of 10 residents from Legionnaires’ disease.
“I had concerns about the Flint River water right from the beginning,” the mayor said.
She said the $28 million promised by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder was not nearly enough to help the city recover.
“There have been estimates out there, but that’s only about infrastructure,” Weaver said. “That’s why we can’t say exactly what we need, because how do you put a cost on what’s happened to what we’ve done to people, what’s happened to them? And we know we have kids that are going to need lifelong services and support. How do you put a cost to that?”
Weaver said blame for the water crisis — and the delayed response to resident complaints — should be shared by federal, state and local officials who knew about the health risks but failed to warn residents the water wasn’t safe to drink.
“That’s been part of the problem is the buck has been passed around and passed around, and there’s been a lot of finger-pointing,” she said. “So a lot of people knew what was going on, but nobody came forward in a timely manner. Because, like I said, this will be almost two years in April (since the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed the water was unsafe). It took almost a year for us to get that information.”
Tapper invited the mayor to appear on his program again to ensure that government officials did not ignore the water crisis.
“Let us know what’s going on,” Tapper said. “Stay in touch with my staff, and when you’re not getting the response you need from Gov. Snyder or from President (Barack) Obama, you let us know. You come on TV, and we will shame them.”
He then apologized on behalf of his program for failing to address the story quickly enough.
“I’m sorry that it took us so long to get on this story,” Tapper said.
Watch the entire segment posted online by CNN :
I'll give you one of the reasons it took CNN, and all media, so long to get around to Flint
Yesterday Rand Paul was on with Jake tapper. At one point Tapper asks Paul why he thinks Donald Trump is doing so well in the polls. Paul says , in so many words (I don't remember the exact quote) "because he gets 25 times more tv coverage than the rest of the field combined".
Tapper simply ignored what he said and went on to the next question.
Rand is an honest man. One of few that works for the people and the best of the Republicans.
Dean, this isn't being snarky to you, I promise, but don't bet on it.
Rand Paul endorsed Matt Bevins, the new KY governor, who is trying to take away health insurance coverage for 500,000 Kentuckians. With Rand Paul's blessing.
Man's obituary asks mourners not to vote for Donald Trump http:// huff.to/1Vb5QJI
This is another article regarding Flint and how the citizens were treated when they kept complaining about the water. I would like to see the email from the governor as well.
People care about the poor more in the abstract than in the concrete. The poor are not heavy consumers in terms of dollars spent, don't buy high end products that are heavily advertised, and are seen as a blight on the notion that all is right with suburbia or upscale urbania.
I guess I misunderstood, I thought it was everybody's water, not just the poor's...
Flint broke just about every rule in the book for public water supplies. They need to be more than shamed, they need to serve time. In jail.
As a former water company professional, I'm appalled.
I thought I heard that although the Governor released his emails much of the content has been redacted.
Good thing there wasn't a mine nearby.
The EPA's sitting on the toxic testing results is unforgivable.
It is to me, too!!!
"Choices and consequences." Those officials who made the choices are responsible for there actions. I agree with Dowser, jail should send and appropriate message to any successor too.
Industries have threatened our water for decades because slowly, over time, the teeth of the "Clean Water Act" have been removed by special interest and therefore our elected officials. To me, if one can go to jail, for ending the life of another, so it should be for making them sick.
Especially when the cost of lowering the pH of the water, so that it wouldn't leach the lead out of the pipes is less than $100/day.
You might find this link interesting. "Why is it possible that Flint River water cannot be treated to meet Federal Standards". Chlorine, a corrosion inhibitor and the high price of Detroit treated water.
Thanks for the link! Really appreciate it!
He then apologized on behalf of his program for failing to address the story quickly enough.
“I’m sorry that it took us so long to get on this story,” Tapper said.
Been there done that. When the towers came down, the EPA came and took air samples and said it was fine. Within a year, the sick began to show up, and no one followed the story, until some NJ housewives started to demand answers. The answer was that the EPA lied, and Wittman was found not guilty of criminal charges.
But sad, like with this story, is that it was barely in the media. I know 4 people, all first responders, to unknown autoimmune disorders and they had to fight to get their medical bills covered. Maybe if it had been in the media more, they would have not suffered so much.
Dan Ackroyd was right !