A Senate panel today will zero in on how General Motors hid a deadly vehicle defect for years, and what can be done to prevent corporations from keeping safety issues secret from consumers and regulators, the New York Times reported today. The hearing in Washington, D.C., will be the fourth appearance before Congress by Mary T. Barra, GM’s chief executive, since the automaker began recalling millions of small cars in February to repair a faulty ignition switch tied to 13 deaths. But lawmakers are now looking beyond why GM repeatedly did not fix defective switches, and focusing on how it kept accident victims, their families and government officials in the dark. Joining Ms. Barra on the witness stand will be Michael P. Millikin, GM’s general counsel, whose legal staff fought ignition lawsuits for years despite knowing that company engineers and investigators were aware of safety issues and related accidents.
