In his first day as a candidate for governor, Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley made criminal charges related to the Flint water crisis a campaign issue.
He was picking a fight with state Attorney General Bill Schuette, who is a rival for the Republican nomination.
The criminal charges target some high-ranking officials in Governor Rick Snyder’s administration. Calley has served as Snyder’s Number Two since 2011. He told The Detroit News there would be no criminal charges if Schuette wasn’t running for governor.
Schuette says politics did not play a role in the Flint water crisis charges.
“Zero, none, not one bit. This is about providing and delivering justice.”
Schuette has charged 15 people with crimes including willful neglect of duty and misconduct in office. Two top state health officials face manslaughter charges related to one of a dozen deaths attributed to an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease.
