Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, not his staff, to release e-mails on Flint

Governor Rick Snyder addresses the Flint water crisis during his State of the State speech on Tuesday January 19, 2016 at the state Capitol Building in Lansing.(Photo: Ryan Garza Detroit Free Press)

Story by Detroit Free Press
Written by Kathleen Gray

Gov. Rick Snyder said this morning that he’ll release e-mails he sent and received in 2014-2015, but won’t make members of his administration publicly release their e-mails.

Speaking to Stephen Henderson, host of Detroit Today on WDET-FM (101.9) and editorial page editor for the Detroit Free Press, Snyder said. “The most relevant piece is for me to step up and say here are my personal e-mails, not only the ones I sent, but the ones I received. I made a personal decision to release my personal e-mails.”

The governor’s office and Legislature are exempt from Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act, which requires public disclosure of records related to government.

As for members of his administration, Snyder said the FOIA exemption covers his entire executive staff, “and they had the perspective that they were under the umbrella and shield because they’re part of the executive office.”

Snyder also said he is working with Lt. Gov. Brian Calley to do a full review of transparency and accountability issues.

“I’m working with the Lieutenant Governor to see what we are going to do on this topic. But it wasn’t appropriate to talk about it last night,” he said.

Democrats wore buttons during Snyder’s State of the State speech Tuesday night that read “What did you know. When did you know it. #flintwatercrisis.”

Snyder said during the radio interview this morning that by releasing his e-mails from 2014-2015, people will get the answers to those questions.

“This is awful in terms of the situation in Flint. People’s lives were damaged and that’s not right,” he said “I had people working for me who contributed to that problem. I’m responsible because they work with me.”