'Humbled' Bank CEOs Will Deny Blowing Bailout

Editorial board schools Goldman CEO in true meaning of 'sorry'

(NEWSER) - Lloyd Blankfein took his sweet time acknowledging his firm's role in almost toppling the financial system, and the New York Times editorial board stewed until today, when the paper's audience is largest. The Goldman Sachs CEO said in a speech this week, "We participated in things that were clearly wrong and we have reasons to regret" and may have added "we apologize"—different sources, including different Times reporters, captured different wording. Trouble is, the editorial notes, he didn't say for what or to whom. More»

(NEWSER) - The Obama administration has devised a maybe-legal method of avoiding Congress’ restrictions on companies that accept bailout funds, including limits on executive pay and a requirement that taxpayers get an ownership stake in the firms, the Washington Post reports. To sidestep the restrictions, the administration has created special entities to act as middlemen between the government and the firms it aims to help. More»

Spending on charities, sponsored meetings topped $330,000

(NEWSER) - Several of the firms who would receive taxpayer funds from the TARP bailout spent money on meetings and charitable gifts that benefited lawmakers, the Hill reports. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, for example, donated $330,000 in the last 6 months of 2008 to politically affiliated charities. Bank of America, meanwhile, spent $35,000 to sponsor a dinner at the NYSE club where Barney Frank was the keynote speaker. More»

Government strikes deal to sell remaining 2.4B shares

(NEWSER) - Taxpayers will wind up making out like bandits on their $45 billion bailout of Citigroup. The Treasury Department has struck a deal to sell its remaining 2.4 billion shares of Citigroup for $4.35 a share, it announced yesterday, bringing the total money made off such sales to $57 billion. Citigroup will pay the underwriting fees on the sale. More»

Even though Dems led push for TARP

(NEWSER) - Despite being bailed out by the government—and, in some cases, still owing money to the government—many companies are donating heavily to candidates. And many of those candidates are Republicans, even though it was mostly Democrats who supported the TARP program, the Washington Post reports. The 23 companies that received $1 billion or more through TARP gave $1.4 million to candidates last month alone. More»