Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote a Friday letter urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) not to drop its prosecution against Boeing, which the Trump administration did later in the day.
Initial charges alleged that the aircraft company mislead regulators before two 737 planes crashed in Indonesia and Ethiopia, killing 346 people, in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
“Any settlement agreement that does not hold Boeing and its executives accountable for their wrongdoing would be shameful,” Warren and Blumenthal wrote in a letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi before the prosecution was dropped.
Under Friday’s DOJ deal, Boeing is slated to pay or invest more than $1.1 billion, including an additional $445 million for the crash victims’ families.
Warren and Blumenthal, in their letter, noted that a lawyer for victims’ families called the DOJ deal “morally repugnant.”
Blumenthal is the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, while Warren serves as ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.
Both lawmakers have intensely questioned Boeing about whistleblower reports alleging safety protocols were being ignored to speed up production.
“The series of safety incidents and warnings from whistleblowers and regulators all point to one troubling conclusion—that manufacturing errors and defects in Boeing aircraft are not one-offs,” the senators wrote.
Despite criticism for the company’s culture and handling of the fatal crashes, DOJ officials have lauded their deal with Boeing.
“Ultimately, in applying the facts, the law, and Department policy, we are confident that this resolution is the most just outcome with practical benefits,” a Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement to the Associated Press.
“Nothing will diminish the victims’ losses, but this resolution holds Boeing financially accountable, provides finality and compensation for the families and makes an impact for the safety of future air travelers.”
The agreement between Boeing and the DOJ still needs to be finalized, according to the AP.
The Hill reached out to Boeing for comment.
