DeSaulnier Calls on Attorney General Lynch to conduct a thorough and expeditious criminal investigation into Volkswagen AG

Washington, DC – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), a member of the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform and a former member of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) called on United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch to conduct a thorough and expeditious criminal investigation into claims that Volkswagen AG cheated on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air pollution tests.

“Given the appearance of blatant and pervasive disregard for environmental protections, consumer safety, and public health in the automaker industry, individual bad actors must be held accountable to disincentivize corporate wrongdoing. Settlement agreements are not enough to restore public confidence in our regulatory regime and thwart future efforts to evade federal and state laws,” said Congressman Mark DeSaulnier.

“We cannot expect to change a deceptive corporate culture and renew consumer confidence without decisive consequences for individuals who perpetuated fraud and others like it. The Department of Justice’s announcement of a criminal investigation into Volkswagen AG’s alleged actions is a step in the right direction. A thorough and expeditious criminal investigation is essential to ensuring that the deceptive actions by Volkswagen AG and other automakers are appropriately addressed and that public health and the environment are protected,” concluded DeSaulnier.

Congressman DeSaulnier served on CARB for a decade under Governors Wilson, Davis and Schwarzenegger. 

A copy of Congressman DeSaulnier’s letter can be found here.

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