Former Gov. Rick Snyder has invoked his right against self-incrimination during a civil trial related to the Flint water scandal.
Snyder was called as a witness Thursday in federal court, two days after the Michigan Supreme Court in a separate case said criminal indictments against other state officials were invalid.
Snyder’s appearance was already planned. The judge knew he would formally decline to answer questions while a criminal case was pending.
A handful of Flint families are suing two engineering firms, claiming they bear some responsibility for lead-contaminated water.
Flint managers appointed by Snyder, a Republican, switched the city’s water to the Flint River in 2014 without properly treating it. Lead leached from old pipes for more than a year.