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Congress asks Snyder to address Legionnaires' testimony

governor rick snyder
Steve Carmody
/
Michigan Radio
An aide to Snyder seemed to contradict the governor's previous statements about when he first learned of the Legionnaires' disease outbreak.

A congressional committee has asked Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to address when he learned about a fatal outbreak of Legionnaires' disease during the Flint water crisis after an aide contradicted the governor's timeline.

Reps. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina and Elijah Cummings of Maryland – the leaders of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee – sent Snyder a letter Thursday. They asked him to provide by Oct. 25 "any additional relevant information" about the date when he learned of Legionnaires'.

In a written response, Snyder denied any wrongdoing:

"My testimony is truthful and I stand by it. I have specifically reviewed the question and my answer referenced in your letter. While you have offered for me to clarify my sworn testimony, I do not believe there is any reason to do so."

The governor added that he and his office will continue to cooperate with the Committee.

Snyder previously told the committee he didn't learn of Legionnaires' until January 2016. But Harvey Hollins, his director of urban initiatives,told a judge last week he told the governor about it during a phone call before Christmas 2015.

It's a crime to "knowingly and willfully" lie to Congress.

This story was updated at 3:40 p.m. in order to include Gov. Snyder's response. 

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting.
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