Toyota seeks damage control, in public and private

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) - In public, Toyota is running apologetic TV ads and vowing to win back customers' trust. Behind the scenes, the besieged carmaker is trying to learn all it can about congressional investigations, maybe even steer them if it can.

It's part of an all-out drive by the world's biggest auto manufacturer to redeem its once unassailable brand - hit anew on Tuesday as Toyota's global recall ballooned to 8.5 million cars and trucks. The day's safety recall of 440,000 of its flagship Prius and other hybrids, plus a Tokyo news conference where the company's president read a statement in English pledging to "regain the confidence of our customers," underscored a determination to keep buyers' faith from sinking to unrecoverable depths.

In Washington, facing congressional inquiries and government investigations, Toyota through its lawyers and lobbyists is working full-speed to salvage its reputation. The confidential strategy - Toyota will say little publicly about its efforts - includes efforts to sway upcoming hearings on Capitol Hill and is based on experiences by companies that have survived similar consumer and political crises - and those that haven't.

Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich, said Toyota representatives visited his offices seeking to learn all they could.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100209/D9DOSBGO1.html

[ingac70]

1. They have covered this shit up for years.

along with a complicit media and a corrupt Bush admin that wanted to see the UAW gone.

[Kokonoe]

3. absolutely

+1

[Dappleganger]

2. So when is Senator Toyota up for re-election? nt