Hagan blasts GM plan to import cars it made in China

COLUMBUS — A lawmaker from Youngstown plans to formally chastise General Motors for its reported plans to build cars in China for sale in the United States.

Rep. Bob Hagan, a Democrat from Youngstown, said he will introduce a resolution in the Ohio House (a mostly symbolic gesture) expressing his disgust with the news.

“It’s an outrageous smack in the face of American workers,” he said Friday. “For General Motors to even suggest that they would ship cars in from China is just an outrageous attempt at thumbing the nose at the American worker and American taxpayers, as well.”

Hagan was responding to news reports that GM plans to market upward of 50,000 cars made in China to American consumers over the next five years.

“We don’t need cars built in China,” Hagan said. “We need General Motors to use the $15.4 billion bailout from American taxpayers to utilize American auto plants and American workers. We have great resources here ... and GM needs to be grateful for the strength of our workforce instead of spitting in our face.”