Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook
Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

AIG's Money Lined Pockets in Washington

Dodd, Bush, Obama campaigns benefited from insurer's largesse

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 19, 2009 9:51 AM CDT

(Newser) – Chris Dodd has been a major AIG critic of late, but the Senate Banking chairman also has the uncomfortable distinction of being the politician to benefit the most from the insurer’s generosity, the Wall Street Journal reports. AIG employees have donated $280,000 to Dodd over the years, including $104,000 during his presidential run. And he’s by no means alone. Barack Obama pulled in another $104,000 during his own '08 campaign.

On the Republican side, George W. Bush took the cake with $200,000 in donations, ahead of John McCain's $99,000. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. AIG, which promised to stop lobbying when it got its first bailout, spent $72.6 million doing just that since 1998, and has donated $9.3 million to various campaigns since 1989.

Women walk in front of the AIG building in Tokyo, Japan, Thursday, March 19, 2009.
Women walk in front of the AIG building in Tokyo, Japan, Thursday, March 19, 2009.   (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)
Christopher Dodd listens to testimony on Capitol Hill in this file photo.
Christopher Dodd listens to testimony on Capitol Hill in this file photo.   (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)
George Bush raked in $200,000 in AIG donations.
George Bush raked in $200,000 in AIG donations.   (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 36 comments
bacimom
Mar 20, 2009 12:34 PM CDT
Legit bonuses aside, how do you explain as necessary a retention bonus to someone who no longer works for the company and can not be retained?
Rob
Mar 19, 2009 11:54 AM CDT
I enjoyed this conversation too. :)
woodyTX
Mar 19, 2009 8:24 AM CDT
One point for you cproger from the Woody 66 research dept (underfunded at your end it appears); PBS like NPR is a private, not for profit organization with < 10% of its funding from government grants and the Corp for Public Broadcasting. The other 90% is from revenue generated by the member stations and from private charitable foundations. Both are terrific sources of information and detailed/in-depth coverage of current events. Try them. You may like them, particularly NPR. I guarantee you, you will learn something worthwhile. You can form your own opinions from there.

More Newser Stories

Bush More Popular Than Obama: Poll

Detroit Bust Would've Been Better Than Bailout

Obama Returns $200K Linked to Fugitive

How Much Did Obama Really Add to Deficit?

Obama Romancing 'Fat-Cat' Donors


NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne