Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told the Department of Justice (DOJ) to require General Motors to compensate those hurt or killed by faulty ignition switches.
“I write to request your immediate intervention and assistance on behalf of victims of severe damage — financial harm, physical injury, and death — resulting from serious ignition switch defects in General Motors cars,” Blumenthal wrote in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday. “Without your active involvement, they may have no meaningful remedy.”
{mosads}Blumenthal demanded that Holder also intervene in pending civil actions to stop GM from denying responsibility and make consumers aware potential “dangers” from continuing to operate certain GM cars.
Blumenthal said that because of the federal government’s restructuring of GM in 2009, the company has been “shielded” from taking responsibility for deaths and injuries in earlier model cars.
“Given the crucial role the United States government played in creation of the current General Motors Corporation, I believe the federal government has a moral, if not legal, obligation to take all necessary steps to protect innocent consumers,” Blumenthal wrote. “Their deliberate concealment caused continuing death and damage, and it constituted a fraud on the bankruptcy court that approved its reorganization. It also criminally deceived the United States government and the public.”
Blumenthal said he appreciates the DOJ investigation into whether GM concealed information about faulty ignition switches before the government takeover of the company, but more should be done for “victims of GM’s wrongdoing.”