NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo yesterday asked troubled insurance giant
In a letter to AIG chief executive Edward Liddy, Cuomo said he believed the company had a duty to be "completely transparent" with taxpayers about executive pay. AIG has received $150 billion so far in federal aid, more than any other company.
Several struggling financial institutions have said in recent days they are canceling bonuses for top executives, including
Cuomo has praised those moves and suggested other Wall Street institutions should follow suit, especially those receiving federal bailout money.
In his letter to Liddy, Cuomo also said he would find it "hard to imagine that AIG could pay significant bonuses or give raises to its executives after the company has quite literally been bailed out by the American taxpayer."
"We believe top executives should shoulder their fair share of these difficult economic times," the letter said.
An AIG spokesman said the company plans to respond to the letter, but wouldn't say what that response would be.
The company has yet to divulge its plans for end-of-year bonuses and pay raises.
Cuomo's office has been pushing hard in recent weeks on the issue of executive pay, asking several companies to turn over information about bonuses they've paid in the past or plan to pay.