Congress Expected to Subpoena Meat Company Chief after Massive Beef Recall

WASHINGTON — House lawmakers are expected tomorrow to order the head of the company responsible for the largest beef recall in U.S. history to appear before Congress.

The subpoena, if approved, comes a little more than week after the Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. chief executive didn’t show up to testify at a congressional hearing on food safety. Several food company executives were invited.

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight is scheduled vote to subpoena Steve Mendell, the co-owner of the plant.

 Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell expects lawmakers to approve the action, which will legally require Mendell to testify March 12, according to a committee spokesman.

"Mendell’s testimony will assist the committee in understanding not only what went wrong with this meat recall, but what can be done to repair our safety net and prevent similar problems in the future," said Dingell, in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon.

Read the full Associated Press story here.