On this edition of Your Call, we'll find out how Boeing bought Washington.
According to several investigations by The Lever, the aircraft manufacturer Boeing has spent years lobbying lawmakers to weaken safety regulations.
In 2021, Boeing was charged with one count of criminal fraud over the role of their faulty flight systems in the fatal crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which killed a total of 346 people.
“But instead of forcing Boeing to face a trial for that single criminal charge, Trump's Justice Department immediately granted Boeing a secret deal that avoided any trial or prosecution,” reports The Lever.
A federal court judge has reopened the case, and Boeing has entered a plea of not guilty to the conspiracy to commit fraud.
Former Boeing manager Ed Pierson says he will not fly a Max airplane. What will it take to hold the company accountable and ensure its planes are safe?
Guests:
Freddy Brewster, reporter for The Lever covering corporate abuse
Ed Pierson, executive director for The Foundation for Aviation Safety and former senior manger for Boeing
Resources:
The Lever: How Boeing Bought Washington
The Lever: Airlines Filed 1,800 Reports Warning Regulators About Boeing’s 737 Max
The Lever: Nikki Haley Helped Boeing Kill Dark Money Disclosure Initiative
Bloomberg: Trump Oversees All-Time Low in White Collar Crime Enforcement
Reuters: Boeing pleads not guilty to fraud charge in 737 MAX arraignment
