GM Ignition-Switch Engineer Denies Wrongdoing

Ray DeGiorgio, the former General Motors Co. engineer blamed for approving a defective ignition switch later linked to 32 deaths, tells The New York Times, "I did my job the best I could."

GM fired DeGiorgio and 14 others in June for misconduct and incompetence. His comment to the Times: "I did my job. I didn't lie, cheat or steal."

He approved the device, which he referred to in an e-mail as the "switch from hell," in 2002. Four years later he approved an update to the design to make it more resistant to being jolted out of the "run" position. He later denied under oath that he authorized any change to the device.

DeGiorgio also violated GM policy by not assigning the modified switch a new part number. Doing so contributed to GM's 10-year delay in recalling the part in 2.6 million vehicles.