The Latest: Health Department refused grant money which would have cleaned up lead contaminated homes

 

MILWAUKEE COUNTY (CBS 58) -- Top Milwaukee Health Department officials refused to use federal money to clean up lead hazards in homes of lead poisoned kids.

CBS 58 Investigates obtained an internal investigation of Richard Gaeta who was in charge of overseeing lead abatement. 

Investigators say when asked why he didn't use HUD grants to clean up lead poisoned homes, Gaeta said something to the effect of "Why should we reward landlords who have poisoned children?"

According to the report, Gaeta's mismanagement of the abatement program led HUD to order Milwaukee to stop all lead abatement work.

Gaeta was fired over the summer as a result of the investigation.