(US Transportation Secretary Ray) LaHood defends fines against Toyota

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Boston Globe

By Erin Ailworth

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood defended his department’s handling of Toyota recalls yesterday, saying the agency “flexed our muscles’’ when it levied a record fine of nearly $16.4 million against the Japanese car company.

“That’s the limit, that’s the most we could do,’’ LaHood said in an interview at the Globe.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration imposed the fine two weeks ago, saying Toyota Motor Corp. had failed to notify officials of a “dangerous pedal defect for almost four months.’’

In a statement to the Globe, Toyota said it will work closely with LaHood and the safety administration as the automaker continues to “strengthen our quality assurance operations, enhance our ability to listen, and respond to our customers.’’

Read more: http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2010/05/04/lahood_defends_fines_against_toyota/

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US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood stood by his “no nonsense’’ approach to problems at Toyota and any other manufacturers. His agency has levied a record fine of nearly $16.4 million. (Yoon S. Byun/ Globe Staff)

[madrchsod]

1. he`s one of the sane republicans in Illinois...

he`s a better democrat than arne duncan..

[swilton]

2. I would like to see the same fines on BP