March 18 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. President Barack Obama, Senator Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican, and former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Arthur Levitt speak about American International Group Inc.'s payment of bonuses to staff in the derivatives unit blamed for the firm's near collapse.

AIG, which received four taxpayer-funded bailouts totaling $173 billion, paid $165 million in executive bonuses. This report also includes comments from White House economist Austan Goolsbee, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Gamco Investors Inc.'s Mario Gabelli, University of Delaware's Charles Elson and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank. (Source: Bloomberg)

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-0- Mar/18/2009 05:11 GMT

Last Updated: March 18, 2009 01:11 EDT