General Motors Co.’s delayed decision to recall almost 2.6 million cars for ignition-switch defects is being investigated by attorneys general in Florida, Connecticut and at least six more states, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. GM has acknowledged 13 deaths tied to the defect, which can cut power to a vehicle’s steering and brakes and prevent air bags from deploying in a crash. Company executives were aware of the defect for at least a decade before the recall. Attorneys general in Connecticut, Indiana, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky and Louisiana are also investigating, representatives from their offices confirmed yesterday. Separately, federal prosecutors in Manhattan are running a probe. The company this month fired 15 people it said played a role in the recall delay. It announced the firings immediately after releasing the results of an internal investigation led by former Chicago U.S. Attorney Anton Valukas, now chairman of the law firm Jenner & Block LLC. GM faces about 85 federal lawsuits filed by car owners claiming their vehicles lost value as a result of the recall and more claims over injuries and deaths attributed to crashes.
