Opinion ID: 4536379
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Ambrose

Text: Gerald Ambrose took over as Emergency Manager for the City of Flint in January 2015 (in the midst of the crisis). Prior to that, he had served as Earley’s advisor, and had been notified about the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in the summer of 2014. Id. at 59, ¶ 175 (Page ID #17862). Like Earley, he repeatedly refused to reconnect to the DWSD—showcasing an indifference that was “especially egregious” in light of the undeniable and worsening crisis. See Guertin, 912 F.3d at 927. After State officials installed water coolers in Flint offices and the GCHD reported that the outbreak of Legionnaires’ likely was connected to the use of Flint River water, the DWSD offered Ambrose a deal for reconnecting in January 2015. R. 620-3 (Fourth Am. Compl. at 81, ¶ 239) (Page ID #17884). He refused. Id. In February 2015, Flint residents publicly demanded reconnecting to the DWSD, and he again refused. Id. at 82, ¶ 243 (Page ID #17885). In March 2015, the Flint City Council voted to re-connect to DWSD. Id. at 86, ¶ 255 (Page ID #17889). Ambrose rejected their vote. Id. City and State officials were well aware of the crisis by January 2015 and were under the scrutiny of the GCHD and the EPA by March 2015. Ambrose’s staunch refusal to stop use of Flint River water in spite of what he knew plausibly demonstrates deliberate indifference to the crisis.