A US judge has rejected Boeing’s guilty plea agreement stemming from twin crashes of the 737 Max, citing diversity, equity and inclusion considerations in selecting a monitor to oversee compliance with the agreement.
Judge Reed O’Connor in northern Texas said the inclusion of DEI considerations in selecting a corporate monitor for Boeing would “undermine confidence” that the selection was based on competency.
The ruling prolongs a chapter in Boeing’s history that the company wants to end, as it will continue to face families of those killed in the 2018 and 2019 crashes in court. Boeing has been struggling in the years since, bleeding cash and drawing scrutiny from regulators, lawmakers and the flying public.