The Politics Behind The Toyota Problems | Dallas, Texas Personal Injury Attorney Blog

There is no doubt Toyota is deep in a crisis and is not only facing a public relations nightmare, but also probably a long line legal problems over the widespread recalls of its vehicles over the past couple of months. However, not everyone wants to hold Toyota accountable for its actions that have been linked to numerous deaths and injuries.

While the safety of the public should be the primary concern and focus of everyone involved, Texas Governor Rick Perry appears to be less focused on safety and holding the car manufacturer responsible for its actions than he is in the financial gain the state generates through its relationship with Toyota. In a letter sent this week to Texas Congressman Joe Barton of Ennis, the ranking Republican member of the Energy and Commerce Committee – called for lawmakers to keep in mind next week when company officials testify before the committee the thousands of Texas families “whose economic livelihoods depend on Toyota, … and to consider the integral role the Japanese automaker plays in the Texas economy.” Discounting the need to protect the public from a manufacturer that may have known for years that its product was defective and dangerous and was linked to deadly accidents, Rick Perry commented that ,”It does sometimes appear, however, that the negative news is being encouraged by plaintiffs’ trial lawyers, union activists and those interested in cutting into Toyota’s market share.”

Hopefully, when the hearings take place next week, members of Congress will be more focused on finding the truth, protecting the American public, and holding Toyota accountable for its actions than they are in protecting Toyota’s profits.