Nikki Haley doesn’t care too much for Boeing seeking a bailout from the government during the coronavirus crisis, so much so that she resigned from their board of directors:
NY POST – Former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has resigned from the board of Boeing over the plane maker’s efforts to receive federal assistance because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report.
“Ambassador Haley informed the Company that, as a matter of philosophical principle, she does not believe that the Company should seek support from the Federal Government, and therefore decided to resign from the Board,” according to Boeing’s filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, NPR reported.
In her letter of resignation, the former South Carolina governor wrote, “As we encounter the Covid-19 crisis, Boeing, along with many other companies, face another major set of challenges.
“I want to be part of helping the company as it pushes through it. However, the board and executive team are going in a direction I cannot support,” Haley wrote.
“While I know cash is tight, that is equally true for numerous other industries and for millions of small businesses. I cannot support a move to lean on the federal government for a stimulus or bailout that prioritizes our company over others and relies on taxpayers to guarantee our financial position. I have long held strong convictions that this is not the role of government.”
Trump has already said he plans to send some money their way…
President Trump said earlier this week that the government would provide financial assistance to Boeing as the entire aviation sector faces economic turmoil over the pandemic.
Boeing has been struggling to win approval from regulators for its 737 Max to return to service after two fatal crashes in five months.
And then this last part…
Widely regarded as a future potential GOP presidential candidate, Haley’s decision to step down from the board could be a way to protect herself from future charges that she backed a taxpayer-funded bailout of a private company, NPR noted.
I’m not sure if Haley is upset about Boeing trying to take advantage of a crisis – meaning they don’t really need the money – or if she just believes that giving bailouts to companies like Boeing is just bad in general. Or maybe it’s both?
Here’s a few tweets from Haley on the subject…
The key to helping small businesses right now is accessibility to loans and credit lines. Banks need to have the flexibility to lend. No need for hand outs as much as we need to focus on a helping hand to weather the storm for those who need it.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) March 19, 2020
Important to remember over 90% of our economy is small business. When thinking of any economic acts, small business should be the priority. ❤️🇺🇸
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) March 20, 2020