It doesn’t matter how much Volkswagen apologizes or promises to find answers for the emissions cheating scandal, some in Congress aren’t buying the remorse, and Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., is one of them.
“The American people, the EPA and its counterparts around the world have been defrauded by Volkswagen,” she said. “The company’s word is not worth a dime.”
It was revealed last month that the Environmental Protection Agency is investigating Volkswagen for installing defeat devices that allow vehicles to skirt emissions tests. The vehicles would reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide during testing and then spew 40 times the legal limit during normal use.
Michael Horn, the CEO of Volkswagen in the United States, said he was made aware the EPA tested for defeat devices in May 2014, but denied actually knowing defeat devices were in Volkswagen vehicles.
He said he first learned of the defeat devices a couple of days before the September meeting with the EPA that revealed the devices. At the hearing, he dodged a question about why he discussed the defeat devices in May 2014 with Volkswagen experts.
Horn was apologetic during his testimony Thursday and said he too was surprised by the scandal. “These events are fundamentally contrary to Volkswagen’s core principles,” he said.
