In today's chapter of "Criminals Get Job Security!" let's go to the great state of Michigan. Yes, the one where officials knowingly poisoned and continue to poison its vulnerable residents with contaminated water from the Flint River. We have one Dr. Eden Wells, who is the state's top public health doctor, appointed by Republican Governor Rick Snyder. Gov. Snyder assures us that he has all the faith in the world in Dr. Wells, despite the fact that she is facing criminal charges relating to the Flint Water Crisis. These charges include involuntary manslaughter, obstruction of justice, and lying to an officer of the peace.
The charges stem from her alleged knowledge in 2014 of the outbreak of Legionnaire's disease its cause — the use of water from the Flint River — and her deciding not to inform the public until January 2016, when a federal public health emergency was declared. People died. Legionnaire's is a severe form of pneumonia that can be treated with antibiotics, but people need to actually know about it. Even when treated, some more medically vulnerable people can suffer complications and not recover. But sure, why warn the population, or heaven forfend, take steps to remedy the problem?
In a seemingly just world, Dr. Eden Wells would be fired, like many of her underlings have been. She has not. Now, while facing trial, she has been appointed to a new job with a salary nearly equal to her old one, and job security that surpasses that of her previous one as top medical official in the state of Michigan.
Dr. Eden Wells has been hired to fill a new position created within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services at an annual salary of $179,672, a classified position that will afford her job protections she doesn’t currently have as chief medical executive, an unclassified -- or at-will -- position, a DHHS spokeswoman confirmed.
Wells was the only candidate to apply for the “advisory physician” position, which was posted for less than one week in November, according to the state.
“MDHHS determined there was a need for an advisory physician to the Population Health Administration, as we have with other administrations within the department,” spokeswoman Angela Minicuci said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal. “The position will advise the administration on public health issues such as HIV, Hepatitis C, environmental health and more given the increasing focus on these and other public health issues in Michigan. MDHHS posted the position, and Dr. Wells was chosen for the role.”
Well, this all sounds COMPLETELY on the up-and-up, don't you think? Dr. Wells issued a statement through her attorneys, saying she “is excited for this opportunity to completely evade accountability continue her life’s work in public grifting health for the rich, white people of Michigan, in collaboration with her local and state public corrupt Republican politicians health colleagues.” Okay, okay, I added the strike-through stuff, don't come after me with the lawyers.
There is one way she could be removed from this new position, though. A guilty verdict, and jail time.
