Press Releases

March 18, 2009: Congressman Wittman Statement on AIG Bonuses

Washington, D.C., March 18, 2009

"I am deeply disturbed that AIG, while receiving over 170 billion taxpayer dollars, gave over $165 million in bonuses to its top executives. Some of these executives are to blame for the greedy and irresponsible behavior that led to AIG's financial turmoil. To think that taxpayers are footing the bill for their bonuses is unbelievable."

"This money should be returned to hard-working Americans immediately. The AIG bailout was hastily put together in the first place, with no checks and balances to protect the American people. The government has a moral obligation to spend taxpayers' money wisely, and this ill-conceived bailout is a disgrace to that obligation."

"I will do everything I possibly can to make sure companies receiving bailout money are not wasting it on bonuses and that we do everything possible to get back the dollars AIG spent on bonuses. We must work aggressively to make sure that this does not happen again in the future."

Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He was elected to his first full term in November 2008 and serves on the Natural Resources Committee and the Armed Services Committee where he is the Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.