As many U.S. taxpayers lose their jobs and homes and others struggle just to hold on it seems that the recent bonuses handed out by AIG have put a face on the economic crisis, giving a direction for the public to focus their anger. American taxpayers are outraged by the insurance giant AIG's use of bailout funds to hand out bonuses to their top executives and they have taken their outrage to the source. This anger has taken various forms ranging from protest to death threats.
On Thursday a rally was held in Phoenix at the local AIG office, led by the Service Employees International Union. The protestors wanted answers to questions about the bonuses and if any were paid to Arizona employees, no one was available to answer. They had also planned to present a large "reality" check to AIG but no one came forth to accept it. They wanted to draw attention to what they described as a class struggle between top executives and the average working American.
Union member Todd Schwartz said:
"These people are seriously out of touch with what life is like for working men and women in America,"
Members of the union also attended a protest outside of the Seattle AIG office located at 520 Pike St. With several police officers standing by, the protestor entered the office and attempted to deliver another "reality" check, they were told that it was private property and they would have to leave, the protestors asked to see someone from AIG in person, their request was refused as was their request to send the "reality" check up to AIG.
Linnae Riesen said:
"Corporations got bailed out, people got sold out, that's pretty much our message."
Saturday, about 40 Protesters made the rounds in Connecticut visiting Norwalk, New Haven, Hartford and other towns visiting AIG offices and the homes of executives to voice the opposition to the taxpayer funded bonuses given to executives.
Protester Emeline Bravo-Blackport said:
"We think $165 million could be used in a more appropriate way to keep people in their homes, create more jobs and health care,”
In some cases public anger has taken a more sinister turn including death threats. In a recent AIG corporate security memoemployees were advised against wearing the AIG logo, the memo went on to advise employees to hide their corporate badges from public view before leaving the office building. Employees are also encouraged to avoid parking in dark areas and to travel in pairs after dark. These are only a few of the suggestion being made by AIG security.
One AIG employee speaking under terms of anonymity said:
"It's scary,People are very, very nervous for their security."
Company spokesman Mark Herr told the AP:
"However someone may feel about the appropriateness of the retention payments, there is nothing appropriate about the threats that people have made to and about employees,"
James Haas and Doug Poling, who have said that they will be returning their bonuses to AIG, did not reply to the AP's request for a comment regarding the threats.
The matter may be further complicated by recent accusations from Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal that AIG actually paid out $50 million more than they reported bringing the total to $218 million. AIG contends that the full amount of bonuses had already been explained to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the $165 million are for the March payments and do not include payments made in December.
Blumenthal responded responded by saying:
"We've not only added the numbers, but the company has given us documents that have the number at $218 million, some of that total is from earlier bonuses, but the main point is all of it seems to be out of taxpayer funds. ... Whether the payments were made in December or March seems to be beside the point. The total that was disclosed so far was $165 million.''
On Thursday a rally was held in Phoenix at the local AIG office, led by the Service Employees International Union. The protestors wanted answers to questions about the bonuses and if any were paid to Arizona employees, no one was available to answer. They had also planned to present a large "reality" check to AIG but no one came forth to accept it. They wanted to draw attention to what they described as a class struggle between top executives and the average working American.
Union member Todd Schwartz said:
"These people are seriously out of touch with what life is like for working men and women in America,"
Members of the union also attended a protest outside of the Seattle AIG office located at 520 Pike St. With several police officers standing by, the protestor entered the office and attempted to deliver another "reality" check, they were told that it was private property and they would have to leave, the protestors asked to see someone from AIG in person, their request was refused as was their request to send the "reality" check up to AIG.
Linnae Riesen said:
"Corporations got bailed out, people got sold out, that's pretty much our message."
Saturday, about 40 Protesters made the rounds in Connecticut visiting Norwalk, New Haven, Hartford and other towns visiting AIG offices and the homes of executives to voice the opposition to the taxpayer funded bonuses given to executives.
Protester Emeline Bravo-Blackport said:
"We think $165 million could be used in a more appropriate way to keep people in their homes, create more jobs and health care,”
In some cases public anger has taken a more sinister turn including death threats. In a recent AIG corporate security memoemployees were advised against wearing the AIG logo, the memo went on to advise employees to hide their corporate badges from public view before leaving the office building. Employees are also encouraged to avoid parking in dark areas and to travel in pairs after dark. These are only a few of the suggestion being made by AIG security.
One AIG employee speaking under terms of anonymity said:
"It's scary,People are very, very nervous for their security."
Company spokesman Mark Herr told the AP:
"However someone may feel about the appropriateness of the retention payments, there is nothing appropriate about the threats that people have made to and about employees,"
James Haas and Doug Poling, who have said that they will be returning their bonuses to AIG, did not reply to the AP's request for a comment regarding the threats.
The matter may be further complicated by recent accusations from Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal that AIG actually paid out $50 million more than they reported bringing the total to $218 million. AIG contends that the full amount of bonuses had already been explained to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the $165 million are for the March payments and do not include payments made in December.
Blumenthal responded responded by saying:
"We've not only added the numbers, but the company has given us documents that have the number at $218 million, some of that total is from earlier bonuses, but the main point is all of it seems to be out of taxpayer funds. ... Whether the payments were made in December or March seems to be beside the point. The total that was disclosed so far was $165 million.''
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