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U.S. Supreme Court lets Flint, Michigan residents sue over water contamination
Reuters ^ | January 21, 2020 | Andrew Chung

Posted on 01/21/2020 1:47:56 PM PST by Coronal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday let residents of Flint, Michigan pursue a civil rights lawsuit against the city and government officials that accused them of knowingly allowing the city’s water supply to become contaminated with lead.

The justices turned away two appeals by the city and the state and local officials of a lower court ruling that allowed the lawsuit to move forward. The lower court rejected a demand for immunity by the officials, finding that they violated the residents’ right to “bodily integrity” under the U.S. Constitution by providing the tainted water after switching water sources in a cost-cutting move in 2014.

The justices’ action comes as similar class-action cases are currently on appeal at the Cincinnati, Ohio-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Flint switched its public water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River to reduce costs during a financial crisis. The corrosive river water caused lead to leach from pipes.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: judiciary; scotus; supremecourt

1 posted on 01/21/2020 1:47:56 PM PST by Coronal
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To: Coronal

sounds like a great money grab for all

Lawyers will do great, Flint residents may get a free check, and of course, government doesn’t care. They’ll just raise taxes or ask for more Federal aid to spend.


2 posted on 01/21/2020 1:50:16 PM PST by PGR88
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To: Coronal

So, who are they going to sue? The present admin? It was the democrats that let the water go bad by misappropriating the funds.


3 posted on 01/21/2020 1:51:13 PM PST by Pilgrim's Progress (http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/BYTOPICS/tabid/335/Default.aspx D)
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To: Coronal
...they violated the residents’ right to “bodily integrity” under the U.S. Constitution by providing the tainted water...


4 posted on 01/21/2020 1:51:53 PM PST by Steely Tom ([Seth Rich] == [the Democrats' John Dean])
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To: Coronal
This graph is from that bastion of conservative ideals, Mother Jones:


5 posted on 01/21/2020 1:54:23 PM PST by Yo-Yo ( is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: Coronal

Sue? Flint is BROKE. The city HAS NO MONEY!

A few years ago they had to take possession of and demolish a 13-story building that was literally falling apart. They had NO MONEY to do that. All property owners in Flint got a supplemental assessment and had to cough-up additional property taxes to foot the bill.

The people of Flint would be bankrupting themselves with this suit. It’s ludicrous.


6 posted on 01/21/2020 1:57:54 PM PST by Buckeye McFrog (Patrick Henry would have been an anti-vaxxer)
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To: Steely Tom

So do the preborn have such a right?


7 posted on 01/21/2020 2:00:20 PM PST by lastchance (Credo.)
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To: Pilgrim's Progress

“So, who are they going to sue? The present admin? It was the democrats that let the water go bad by misappropriating the funds.”

The article isn’t completely clear. But I think they are suing individual government officials personally. Note the language about “qualified immunity.”


8 posted on 01/21/2020 2:00:57 PM PST by ModelBreaker
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To: Buckeye McFrog

They will be suing the city AND the state. Michigan citizens are about to get screwed but good. It was the local rats that did this but the news outlets made damn sure the republican Governor got most of the blame.


9 posted on 01/21/2020 2:06:15 PM PST by gibsonguy
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To: Coronal

If city,county or state officials knew..or should have known... about dangerous substances in the tap water they *should* be sued.


10 posted on 01/21/2020 2:18:18 PM PST by Gay State Conservative (The Rats Can't Get Over The Fact That They Lost A Rigged Election)
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To: ModelBreaker

Flint is owned and operated by the Democraps. Honestly a smart judge would look at this lawsuit and say, you got what you voted for, incompetence!


11 posted on 01/21/2020 2:25:55 PM PST by Bommer (2020 - Vote all incumbent congressmen and senators out! VOTE THE BUMS OUT!!!)
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To: Coronal

And yet no one was allowed to sue to enforce Prop 8 in California because there was “no standing”?

The whole thing is BS.

The government didn’t intentionally or even knowingly allow lead into the water supply.

To try to maintain a standard of living after previous administrations had allowed the water system to deteriorate, to save money they pumped water from the flint river which turned out to be more acidic which leached lead from the ancient lead pipes.
Once the cause was confirmed the administration switched back to the more expensive water source but now nobody wanted water from those evil lead pipes and demanded the entire system be replaced (which is a whole other issue)

But there’s nothing here to denote malfeasance by the city of flint or the administration.


12 posted on 01/21/2020 2:28:31 PM PST by Skywise
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To: Steely Tom

That’s why I only drink rain water and grain alcohol...


13 posted on 01/21/2020 2:42:28 PM PST by EEGator
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To: Coronal

Their leftist government failed them.


14 posted on 01/21/2020 2:49:43 PM PST by vpintheak (Leftists are full of "Love, peace" and bovine squeeze.)
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To: Coronal

Punish the innocent taxpayers. It’s the DemocRAT way.


15 posted on 01/21/2020 2:51:24 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Democrats only believe in democracy when they win the election.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Another Pigford Settlement only using the water this time. Note the ethnicity of the Flint politicians that were in charge the entire time of the tainted water and the ones that are bringing the lawsuit.
16 posted on 01/21/2020 3:08:28 PM PST by vetvetdoug
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To: Coronal

In other news, a very large percentage of the bottled water sold in the U.S. comes from Michigan... Yummy!


17 posted on 01/21/2020 3:09:02 PM PST by SuperLuminal (Where is Sam Adams now that we desperately need him)
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