Rep. Waters Demands Obama Clarify AIG Bonus Provision

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., called on President Obama on Friday to explain what happened when a provision was added to his economic stimulus bill last month that allowed AIG employees to receive $165 million in bonuses.

Waters' comments were the strongest criticism yet from a Democrat over a controversy that continues to grow.

Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn, confessed Wednesday to adding language to a spending cap in the stimulus bill that specifically excluded executive bonuses agreed to before the bill's passage. But he added that Treasury officials forced him to make the change to protect the government from potential lawsuits.

It was a reversal from Dodd's position a day earlier, when he strongly denied he had anything to do with adding the provision.

"They've got some explaining to do," Waters told Joe Scarborough on his WABC radio show Friday morning. "And I think the president is going to have to clarify to the American public what took place between Treasury and Mr. Dodd.

"Obviously, there appears to be some sort of an agreement that they would protect AIG from having to give those bonuses. I don't know who said what and when," she added. "Chris Dodd said he wrote the language but that he was pressured practically by Treasury. Maybe the president is not up to speed on what is going on, but I think it is going to have to be clarified."


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