General Motors plans to strip name plates and signage from dealers across the country this Sunday, as part of its federally mandated downsizing.
House Minority Leader John Boehner and Lake County Congressman Steven LaTourette are demanding the White House order a halt to that action pending further investigation, as banks recently did with the foreclosure process when irregularities were found.
The request hinges on a revised report from the Special Inspector General for the Recovery Act, released two weeks ago after several months delay. LaTourette says many dealers were forced to negotiate without information that would have assisted them as they moved through the arbitration process.
But he says the bigger finding impacts nearly one million people who work for, or with the 25-hundred dealers slated to close.
STEVEN LaTOURETTE (R) Ohio 14th Dist.
"The report found that little thought was given to job losses associated with the rapid-fire dealer termination sought by the auto task force."
It also reportedly shows that neither GM nor Chrysler would lose money by keeping dealerships open, nor saving any by keeping them open.
Lyndhurst Chevy Dealer Mark Sims was a national point person for dealers appealing closings...
He says GM should re-examine its' plans before eliminating franchises this coming weekend.
MARK SIMS:
"What they need to do is take a very negative, critical situation where they could potentially lose a number of other customers that they don't need to lose in this economy, and reverse their decision on the dealership closures... that's it."
The panel fighting for a hold on closings says he could extend that deadline with one day's work, should the White House chose to.
