How funny is that? After lambasting AIG management for the last few days for allowing the bonuses to be paid out, it turns out that it was actually a Senator who added the language to the bailout package!

Senate Banking committee Chairman Christopher Dodd told CNN’s Dana Bash and Wolf Blitzer Wednesday that he was responsible for adding the bonus loophole into the stimulus package that permitted AIG and other companies that received bailout funds to pay bonuses.
On Tuesday, Dodd denied to CNN that he had anything to do with the adding of that provision.

And what is even funnier, he lied about it!
So, how does Congress impose an onerous tax on bonuses they actually legislated?

Lawmakers outraged over the AIG bonuses have told the people who got the money to watch out — the government will get it back one way or the other, even if it means taxing the heck out of their paychecks.
But legal scholars say Congress will have a tough time defending itself in court if it goes down that road.

Especially since the Democrats all voted for the bill. If they didn’t want the bonuses, why did they vote for the bill? (And I would think that saying they didn’t actually read what they voted for, isn’t a good excuse 🙂