As
Gov. Rick Snyder struggles mightily to get a handle on the Flint water crisis
and the PR debacle it represents for his administration, he has hired an
outside communications firm that specializes in crisis management.
Snyder
has brought on board Mercury LLC, an out-of-state PR firm with an international reach which bills itself as
a "high stakes public strategy firm.” In a somewhat risky political move
for Snyder, Mercury’s leadership team includes a senior vice president, Bettina
Inclan-Agen, who is the wife of Snyder’s new chief of staff, Jarrod Agen.
In
addition, surely the selection of Mercury – a name that represents the mercury
metal, which is even more toxic to public health than lead – was not a
PR-minded choice.
According
to NBC News, Mercury said in an email: "Due to the intense media demand
and severity of this issue, we are assisting the governor's team so that they
are able to dedicate their focus and resources to helping the people of Flint."
Apparently
the crisis-management firm is being paid through Snyder campaign funds, not
taxpayer dollars.
The
Detroit Free Press reported moments ago that the governor has also hired
another communications expert, Bill Nowling, who was the PR messenger during
Snyder’s 2010 campaign and has since assisted with crisis management duties for
other government entities across Michigan.
The
added layers of spin-doctor duties comes as Snyder has abandoned his long-held
view that forward-looking policies require a “no blame” approach toward government
bureaucracy.
NBC
reported that a Mercury vice president sent an email earlier today with links
to news stories that highlighted failures by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency with regard to the Flint water crisis.
What’s
more, Snyder appeared this morning on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and
blamed "career civil service people" in the state Department of
Environmental Quality for "terrible decisions" that led to thousands
of children being exposed to lead for months after Flint's water supply was
switched to save money.
"We
have to live with the consequences," he said. "They work for me so I
accept that responsibility, and we're going to fix this problem."
While Gov. Snyder dilly dallies with 2 PR crisis management firms, he still fails to directly address resolutions to the Flint problems. All the while, his administration is challenging the EPA legality to take control of the situation and direct the State. Both of these accounts sound very much like an entrenched administration, not proactive at all. And as the NY Times pointed out today in its lead editorial: "Michigan has a budget surplus of $575 million this year that could surely be applied to this crisis of its own making, and if that’s not enough, the governor could always raise taxes in a special levy. The state also has about $600 million in a “rainy day” fund, at least some of which could presumably be used." Yes, there is $1.175 billion dollars in liquid assets sitting in the Lansing coffers that the stingiest of governors refuses to release or even discuss. The horrors and travesties of the Snyder era know no limits.
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