Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has handed jurisdiction over all cases related to the Flint water crisis to newly appointed Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud, Nessel's office announced Tuesday.
Special Prosecutor Tom Flood, appointed by former Attorney General Bill Schuette, will report to Hammoud on the cases. They include charges against former Flint emergency managers Darnell Earley and Gerald Ambrose; Nick Lyon, the former director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; and Dr. Eden Wells, the state's chief medical executive, according to a press release.
“The former Attorney General chose to personally select and supervise Mr. Flood and the criminal cases, which prevented him from being engaged or even informed on any of the civil cases related to Flint, including the lawsuits against various state departments and employees and the city of Flint,” Nessel said in a statement. “These cases have gone on for years and have cost the taxpayers of this state millions of dollars. It’s time for resolution and justice for the people of Flint.”
Lawsuits against individuals involved in the water crisis have been criticized for their slow progress. One of Nessel’s campaign promises was to “demand justice for the people of Flint.”
“I have worked closely with Ms. Hammoud as a prosecutor and trust her to make the right decisions and take the proper steps to ensure justice for the people of Flint,” Nessel said. “This department has spent millions of dollars on these cases and our state residents deserve assurance that these cases are handled properly.”
Hammoud, formerly of the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, was appointed solicitor general hours before being assigned to the Flint cases.
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