Renton Boeing employee latest whistleblower to come forward with safety concerns

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Boeing's embattled CEO David Calhoun was brought before Congress on Tuesday to answer questions about its safety culture, following even more claims from whistleblowers alleging faulty parts, or accusing the company of cutting corners. 

The senators want to know what the company is doing to fix what critics call a "broken safety culture." The last time the CEO appeared on Capitol Hill was after the door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines flight in January.   

The CEO was in the hot seat as members of the subcommittee grilled him about future plans and data surrounding the company safety record, and treatment of whistleblowers. The latest report of intimidation came from a quality assurance inspector from Renton. 

Calhoun turned to apologize to those who lost loved ones in the 2018 and 2019 Max 8 crashes before he began testimony Tuesday.

Calhoun told lawmakers Tuesday the door plug on a flight over Oregon prompted the company to re-examine safety.    

"We work hard to reach out to our people. Immediately following Alaska, we had a stand down. The stand-downs continue and they rotate and we listen to everybody," said Calhoun. "I’m trying to deal with 30,000 ideas on how we can move forward. How do we make their jobs easier? How do we train them more effectively?" 

However, lawmakers demanded more data, noting some of what had been provided was unacceptable.

"Are you able to make sense of this?," asked US Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

"No sir," answered Calhoun.

"Complete gobbledygook – this is what Boeing has provided to this committee in response to our request for information. Can you justify these productions?," said Blumenthal.

"I would describe it precisely as you did, and I can’t justify, and I will most definitely follow up," said Calhoun.

When asked who was responsible for providing the information requested, Calhoun said it was a combination of his counsel and his government affairs office.

Senators also talked about whistleblowers like John Barnett, who died of a reported suicide after raising concerns about missing parts.   

"After whistleblower John Barnett raised his concerns about missing parts, he reported that his supervisor called him 19 times in one day and 21 times another day. When Barnett asked about those calls, he said, ‘I’m going to push you until you break’. He broke," said Blumenthal.

Blumenthal said Sam Mohawk, a quality assurance inspector in Renton, Washington, also recently reported problems to members of the subcommittee. He read those allegations at Tuesday's hearing.

"Boeing is improperly documenting, I’m quoting, ‘non-conforming parts, possibly using them and installing them in airplanes.’ There are parts that are damaged or defective, out of specification. He said that he’s been told by superiors to conceal this evidence from the FAA, and he’s been retaliated against," said Blumenthal. "When whistleblower Sam Mohawk raised concerns about Boeing’s concealment of non-conforming parts, he was put in charge of completing a corrective action investigation with an impossible deadline, and then threatened with formal discipline, including firing. He couldn’t meet that deadline."

"Senator I’m going to start by assuring you that I listened to the whistleblowers that appeared at your hearing. Something went wrong," responded Calhoun.

Calhoun said he had not spoken to the whistleblowers personally, surprising senators, who noted he's paid more than $32 million yearly.

"Why haven’t you resigned?," asked US Senator Josh Hawley, (R-MO).

"Senator, I’m sticking this through. I'm proud of having taken the job, proud of this safety record.

"You are proud of this safety record?", questioned Hawley.

One of the senators suggested that if disciplinary measures were talked about, there would be less retaliation.

Blumenthal asked, "How many of your employees have been fired for retaliating against whistleblowers?"

Calhoun responded, "Senator I don't have that number on the tip of my tongue, but I know it happens."

Calhoun told the subcommittee members he would be following up with more information.

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