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WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats let loose on General Motors' decision to close plants in Michigan and Ohio on Monday, saying that the company got millions in tax breaks heralded by President Donald Trump but that they haven't saved workers.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, sharply criticized GM's plan to lay off its final shift of workers and close its Lordstown plant in March of next year, noting that earlier this year the company — despite threats from Trump — had announced plans to build the new Chevy Blazer in Mexico on the same day it ended a second shift at the Ohio plant.
"GM received record tax breaks as a result of the GOP’s tax bill last year, and has eliminated jobs instead of using that tax windfall to invest in American workers," Brown said in a news release put out Monday by his office.
In its most recent earnings report for the period ending Sept. 30, GM reported that it had received a benefit of $157 million so far this year thanks to the tax reform legislation passed late last year by Republicans in Congress and signed into law by Trump.
Brown wasn't the only member of Congress complaining about GM's move: U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, said that when Trump visited the state last year, he promised that jobs were coming back and urged people to stay.
"So far, President Trump has been asleep at the switch and owes the community an explanation," said Ryan. "We tried to get his attention on this issue two years ago. He promised us that his massive corporate tax cut would lead to dramatic reinvestments."
The White House did not immediately return a request for comment on GM's announcement on Monday morning. But before departing for rallies later Monday in Mississippi, Trump told reporters briefly that he was unhappy with GM's decision and that he and others would put pressure on the company to bring back jobs.
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U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, put out a statement saying he was "deeply frustrated with General Motors’ decision" to close Lordstown and would continue to work with the company to try to increase employment in the state.
Michigan members of Congress made themselves heard as well with word that GM planned to close an assembly plant in Detroit-Hamtramck. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, called it a "warning" and said public officials "must be concerned about protecting jobs and keeping them in this country."
U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, said GM should reconsider, adding that, "the American people and the federal government have supported General Motors through difficult times and the industry should have the back of American workers."
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said he was "extremely disappointed" in the decision, coming in the middle of the holiday season, and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, also D-Mich., said it could have a "devastating impact ... on our workers, their families and our communities."
Haley Stevens, who will be one of three new Democratic congresswomen representing metro Detroit in January, and who served as de facto chief of staff to President Barack Obama's auto task force, said the announcement "should be a wake-up call to the Trump administration.: She said he has employed "recklessly executed trade policies" that have threatened allies and others with tariffs under questionable grounds.
"Not only does this move put thousands of Michigan workers at risk, but companies up and down the supply chain will feel the impact of these plant closures, and face the same uncertainty they endured 10 years ago," said Stevens, who worked with the task force when it helped steer GM and Chrysler through reorganization.
Contact Todd Spangler: 703-854-8947 or tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @tsspangler.
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