OceanGate CEO's Alleged Plan to "Buy a Congressman" Amid Titan Submersible Safety Concerns
Former OceanGate CEO Allegedly Claimed He Would “Buy a Congressman” to Resolve Titan Submersible Issues
In a shocking revelation during a US Coast Guard hearing, former OceanGate employee Matthew McCoy testified that Stockton Rush, the company’s late CEO, allegedly claimed he would “buy a congressman” to resolve regulatory issues surrounding the ill-fated Titan submersible.
McCoy, who raised safety concerns about the Titan, stated that Rush dismissed these worries and suggested circumventing regulatory hurdles by launching the expedition through the Bahamas and Canada. When domestic regulators were mentioned as a potential obstacle, Rush allegedly declared he would resort to bribery to make the problems disappear.
“He said, word for word, ‘I can buy a congressman,'” McCoy confirmed during his testimony, expressing his shock and disbelief at Rush’s statement. This revelation adds to the growing controversy surrounding Rush’s approach to safety and regulatory compliance in the development of the Titan submersible.
The testimony gains credibility in light of Rush’s history of ignoring safety concerns and boasting about his unconventional methods. His apparent willingness to consider corruption underscores the CEO’s obsessive drive to build the Titan as he envisioned, despite potential risks.
Rush and four passengers tragically lost their lives when the Titan imploded during its descent into the Titanic wreck. Since the incident, the submersible’s design has faced intense scrutiny, with experts criticizing the use of carbon fiber for the hull and the sub’s unusual construction.
The Coast Guard hearing, which included testimonies from over two dozen OceanGate employees and third-party experts from NASA and Boeing, is part of an ongoing investigation into the disaster. The Maritime Board of Investigation is currently reviewing the findings, with a full report expected to determine the cause and accountability for the tragedy.
As the investigation continues, these latest revelations shed light on the complex and controversial history behind the Titan submersible’s development and the decisions that ultimately led to its catastrophic failure.
