Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg was grilled over his salary on Wednesday, the second day of congressional hearings after two fatal crashes involving 737 Max jets.
Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., questioned in a heated exchange whether Muilenburg was taking responsibility for the fallout from the crashes, which killed 346 people in total. Cohen asked if anyone at the company had taken a pay cut amid the grounding of the 737 Max.
“You’re saying you’re not giving up any compensation at all,” Cohen asked Muilenburg. “You’re continuing to work and make $30 million a year after this horrific two accidents that caused all these people’s relatives to go, to disappear, to die.”
Muilenburg’s annual compensation, though well into the multi-millions, is not quite at $30 million. He earned total compensation of just under $23.4 million for 2018, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
When asked directly if Muilenburg would take a cut in pay, he said the company’s board makes those decisions.
“You’re not accountable then,” Cohen said. “You’re saying the board’s accountable.”
Boeing replaced the head of its commercial airplane unit Kevin McAllister earlier this month. He is the senior-most executive to leave in the wake of the catastrophes.
Muilenburg said during the congressional questioning that he has not offered to resign after 737 Max crashes.
Wednesday’s hearing was before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Muilenburg appeared before the Senate Commerce Committee.
Correction: This story has been updated to remove an incorrect figure for Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg’s 2018 salary.