Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) on Monday night floated the idea of taxing American International Group (AIG: 0.9642, 0.1841, 23.6%) bonus recipients so the government could recoup the $450 million the company is paying to employees in its financial products unit. Within hours, the idea spread to both houses of Congress, with lawmakers proposing an AIG bonus tax.
By Rich Edson
Fox Business
While the Senate constructed the $787 billion stimulus last month, Dodd unexpectedly added an executive-compensation restriction to the bill. That amendment provides an “exception for contractually obligated bonuses agreed on before Feb. 11, 2009,” which exempts the very AIG bonuses Dodd and others are seeking to tax. The amendment is in the final version and is law.
Also, Sen. Dodd was AIG’s largest single recipient of campaign donations during the 2008 election cycle with $103,100, according to opensecrets.org.
Dodd’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.
One of AIG Financial Products’ largest offices is based in Connecticut.
Read the rest:
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story
/markets/industries/finance/dod
d-cracks-aig—time/
Related:
Obama’s AIG Outrage: All Talk, No Action
Dodd Allowed AIG To Thrive in His State, Approved Bonuses: Now Throws Them Under The Bus
Fox News and other sources also said treasury Secretary Geithner worked with Senator Dodd and others to allow AIG the right to issue the bonuses — the same bonuses that caused President Obama “ourage” yesterday. Obama told Geitherner to use all legal means to get the bonus money back….
