AIG, the troubled insurer that the Feds bailed out to the tune of $85 billion in September, was accused by Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland) of "stonewalling" Congress when AIG said it couldn't come to D.C. for a meeting to discuss executive pay last week. Now AIG CEO Edward Liddy tells CNBC that Cummings didn't give him enough time to prepare, "I got a letter on Tuesday asking for more information. We simply couldn't provide the information in time for a meeting on Thursday." Liddy, who said AIG has been "very transparent," also said that retention bonuses were important for keeping employees, "If we don't do that, we will not be able to pay back the federal government." Related: The AP tallies how many private jets are owned by financial firms that received bailout money, noting that while automakers are getting nailed for private jetting, Wall Street firms still are (AIG has 7 private jets). more ›

In what continues to be a familiar story of cat and mouse in politicians pointing the finger as to where funds aren't coming from, Governor Paterson yesterday claimed the state lost hundreds of millions in tax revenue because less big Wall Street bonuses are being given out this year. Many CEOs and senior executives agreed to take significantly smaller (or no) bonuses after pressure from Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, in the end nearly halving last year's total of $50 billion in bonuses. Paterson originally claimed that Goldman Sachs' lack of bonuses alone would cost the state $178 million, but an aide later clarified that was just an estimate of how much taxable income was lost. Still the governor sounded grave saying, "This is a very, very difficult year for Americans. But I don't think it has been fully realized ... it could theoretically become another depression, it is that difficult." more ›