Forgot the 50 years of Democrat leadership.
Via WISTV:
Former city and federal officials pointed fingers at one another for failing to protect the 100,000 citizens of Flint, Michigan, from lead-laced water at a congressional hearing Tuesday as Republicans targeted for blame an Environmental Protection Agency executive who resigned as the crisis worsened.
Amid withering criticism, Susan Hedman sought to defend the EPA’s actions to deal with the contamination in the predominantly African-American city. “I don’t think anyone at EPA did anything wrong, but I do believe we could have done more,” said Hedman, the former director of the EPA’s Midwest regional office.
Hedman stepped down Feb. 1 over what she called “false allegations” that portrayed her as sitting on the sidelines during the crisis and that she “downplayed concerns raised by an EPA scientist about lead in the water.” The scientist Hedman was referring to is Miguel Del Toral, a regulations manager in the groundwater and drinking water branch of the Midwest office.
Hedman denied the EPA had disciplined Del Toral, who had warned of dangerously high levels of lead in a June 2015 memo and later criticized the agency for not taking swift action.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said Hedman “dismissed” Del Toral’s warnings.
“You screwed up and you ruined people’s lives,” Chaffetz told Hedman.
Flint switched its water source from Detroit’s water system to the Flint River in 2014 to save money, but the river water was not treated properly and lead from aging pipes leached into Flint homes and businesses. Elevated levels of lead have been found in children’s blood. Lead contamination has been linked to learning disabilities and other problems.
The chain of events has spurred calls for Republican Gov. Rick Snyder to resign amid outrage over the treatment of the people of Flint. A longshot recall effort is under way in Michigan for Snyder, who has been widely blamed in Michigan and nationally for the crisis.
The governor is scheduled to appear before the committee on Thursday, along with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.
Virginia Tech professor Marc Edwards, who helped expose the lead problem in Flint’s water and is now assisting both the city and state, accused Hedman and the EPA of “willful blindness” and for being unrepentant and unremorseful in the aftermath of the crisis.