Manchin Weighs in on Toyota

Gov. Joe Manchin is writing a letter to congressional leaders, praising Toyota's role as an employer, taxpayer and corporate neighbor in West Virginia, his spokesman tells The Associated Press.

Manchin plans to relay many of the same points and concerns conveyed in a letter to Congress sent Wednesday by the governors of Indiana, Alabama, Mississippi and neighboring Kentucky, spokesman Matt Turner said.

"Toyota has recalled nearly 8.5 million vehicles around the globe since November for problems that include floor mats that can entangle the gas pedal, gas pedals that can stick, causing sudden acceleration, and braking problems," AP reported. "The recalls have drawn interest in Congress, where lawmakers are looking into how the company handled the recalls and whether the government properly investigated numerous complaints."

U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., is meanwhile the Senate's lead investigator of the world's #1 automaker (Corrected).