GM FIRES LONGTIME CUSTODIAN OVER IGNITION SWITCH RECALL

Former GM custodian Ogman Bomberger gently caresses his broom after learning he was fired. GM allowed him to keep the broom.

General Motors today fired a custodian who cleaned the company’s engineering building for nearly 40 years, blaming him for faulty ignition switches that could cost the beleaguered automaker hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs and legal damages.

GM spokeswoman Biscuit Muldoon said 67-year-old janitor Ogman Bomberger spent eight hours each night since 1975 polishing floors and emptying the wastebaskets of engineers who designed the faulty part.  “He must have seen some drawings or a prototype of the defective switch on somebody’s desk at some point while he was there cleaning,” explained Muldoon.  “He bears full responsibility for this nightmare; he should have said something,” she said, dabbing tears from her eyes.  Muldoon said no other terminations were expected.