Kucinich calls for probe of bonuses for Wall Street aid recipients

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has called for a probe into $70 billion worth of pay deals planned for employees of failed banking firms receiving government aid.

Kucinich said Sunday that he was directing his staff to immediately probe Wall Street firms that have received any portion of the $700 billion bailout plan recently passed by Congress, in response to a recent report by The Guardian outlining the firms’ dramatic drops in revenue, but not in executive compensation.

That Friday report showed that over $70 billion was to be allocated towards pay deals, including discretionary bonuses, at firms such as Goldman Sachs and Citigroup.

“When Congress placed restrictions on excessive executive pay, it had no intention of permitting business as usual with respect to bonus structures,” Kucinich said. “It would add insult to injury to ask taxpayers not only to bailout a firm, but to pay for bonuses as well. The Guardian’s report necessitates an immediate inquiry.”