Families who lost loved ones in the two Boeing crashes in 2018 and 2019 Request to Federal Prosecutor It plans to launch “aggressive criminal prosecutions” against the aircraft maker on Wednesday.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted the company in 2021 on charges of conspiring to defraud the United States after the crashes of Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes killed 346 people, but deferred prosecution after the company agreed to pay a $2.5 billion fine.
The Justice Department said last month that Boeing had violated the agreement after a door plug on a Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft exploded during an Alaska Airlines flight in January, and it is due to decide by July 7 whether to proceed with charges.
“Boeing’s crimes are the worst corporate crimes in American history, and a maximum fine of more than $24 billion is legally justified and clearly appropriate, although the fine may be partially suspended if the funds are used to invest in proper quality control and safety measures,” wrote Paul Cassell, attorney for the victims’ families.
Casell also said the families “believe that the Department of Defense should pursue criminal charges against those in charge at Boeing at the time of both crashes, including, in particular, former Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg.”
The Hill has reached out to a Boeing spokesperson for comment.
A Senate subcommittee grilled Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun on Tuesday in his first congressional testimony since the Alaska Airlines disaster, with Calhoun trying to assure lawmakers that the company is working to improve its safety culture and quality control.
The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs grilled the administration on whistleblower complaints of safety concerns, corner-cutting and corporate retaliation, including new allegations announced by Chairman Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) just hours before Calhoun was due to testify.
Boeing quality assurance inspector Sam Mohawk alleged that the company mishandled “hundreds” of defective parts that were believed to have been installed in aircraft, including the 737 Max. In a complaint filed June 11 with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Mohawk also alleged that Boeing subjected him to “unlawful retaliation” when he raised those concerns.
The committee hearing was attended by many family members who lost loved ones in the fatal crashes, holding signs behind Calhoun as he spoke featuring the faces of those who died in 2018 and 2019.
As Calhoun began his testimony, he stood, turned around and apologized to the victim’s family.
“On behalf of everyone at Boeing, I personally apologize and am deeply saddened by your loss. Nothing is more important than the safety of the people who fly on our aircraft, and every day we strive to honor the memory of those we lost through our unwavering commitment to safety and quality,” Calhoun said.
