Politicians & AIG

Since it looks like Congress has taken square aim at a few dozen AIG employees, perhaps it time we all took the same aim at our elected officials. The Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign finance reports that the donations continued after AIG received the first cash infusion of $85 million in September of 2008.

The top 10 recipients of cash contributions from AIG in 2008

1. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., $103,100
2. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., $101,332
3. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., $59,499
4. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., $35,965
5. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., $24,750
6. Former Gov. Mitt Romney, (R) Pres $20,850
7. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., $19,975
8. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn, $19,750
9. Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., $18,500
10. Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R) Pres $13,200

It’s high time our Congress stops feigning indignation and has a look in the mirror, because they are only fooling themselves, if they think that they are doing their, already low approval ratings any favors at the moment. In another move that screams quid pro quo; Chris Dodd was the biggest recipient of our tax dollars which were funneled back to him by AIG in 2008. He was also responsible for allowing the AIG bonuses to occur at all.

It’s a shame that Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley didn't include Senator Dodd, along with the AIG execs when he implored them to follow the Japanese model. After all, he was their biggest enabler in crafting the bill which allowed AIG to give these bonuses.