Consumer group urges Calif. criminal action against Ford, tire maker

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Sept. 26)—Consumers Union, the nonprofit consumer advocacy group which publishes "Consumer Reports," has written California Attorney General Bill Lockyer requesting a criminal investigation of Ford Motor Co. and Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. under the state´s Corporate Liability Act. That law, the only one of its kind in the U.S., makes corporate executives criminally liable if they knowingly conceal product defects or workplace hazards from state officials. Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone, CU argued, violated the statute when they sold Ford Explorers equipped with the now-recalled Firestone ATX and Wilderness AT tires. "We do know he´s seriously looking at it," a CU spokeswoman said regarding Lockyer and the consumer group´s request. A spokeswoman for the attorney general´s office said the state is "working with other states to investigate the Ford/Firestone safety matter," and that "we have an active investigation." Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone officials could not be reached for comment.