WASHINGTON, May 15 (UPI) -- A U.S. congressional panel is investigating Toyota Motor Corp.'s efforts to discredit those who testified against the automaker in hearings on Capitol Hill.
Toyota, in letters to the House Energy and Commerce Commission, acknowledged it surveyed consumers to find ways to discredit safety consultant Sean Kane and auto technology Professor David Gilbert, who presented testimony in Washington hearings about unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles, The Washington Post reported Saturday.
The Japanese car maker said the surveys were taken "to guide the company's advertising development efforts," but that the company had "ultimately," decided not to run ads related to the issue.
"Testing messages to rebut unfair or false assertions is a common and legitimate research practice," Toyota said.
Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., has requested all documents about the poll be turned over to the committee and has scheduled a hearing next week on the issue, the Post said.
"What we're seeing is that they're willing to go to great lengths to discredit anyone who asks questions about their products," Kane said.
In a related report, the Los Angeles Times said U.S. District Judge James Selna has selected two attorneys from California, Mark Robinson and Elizabeth Cabraser, to lead a consolidated case of alleged negligence against Toyota.
More than 320 lawsuits have been filed against Toyota in recent months for accidents allegedly related to unintended acceleration.
