STATEMENT OF THE COMMITTEE TO RESTORE DEALER RIGHTS
REGARDING GENERAL MOTORS AND CHRYSLER PRESS STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 3, 2009
We are greatly disappointed at today’s unilateral decisions by General Motors and Chrysler to end negotiations with dealer representatives and to publicize indefensible so-called reinstatement plans. We would say that their plans are shams, but that is an insult to the word “sham” because the GM and Chrysler plans would at best reinstate only very, very few dealers, if any.
We assure dealers, Members of Congress, and consumers that at no point in the negotiating process did General Motors or Chrysler present a plan that would realistically get more than a few dealers back in business. On the other hand, dealer groups have been willing to show flexibility on a nonlegislative solution in order to get our colleagues back in business as soon as possible.
We just could not in good conscience accept the GM or Chrysler plans when they rely so much on flawed criteria and would make a mockery of the arbitration process. Under their plans, a dealer would have had a better chance at winning the Powerball lottery than getting back in business.
We will not foreclose future discussions with GM or Chrysler to resolve the dealer crisis. However, we intend to press forward with our numerous bipartisan supporters in Congress to ensure enactment of legislation to add back in dealers whose economic rights were trampled by GM and Chrysler.
-Jack Fitzgerald
-Tamara Darvish
-Alan Spitzer
