Three AIG employees to return bonuses

WASHINGTON, March 20 (UPI) -- American International Group Inc. executive Jon Liebergall said he intended to return his bonus pay to the company in the wake of an uproar in Washington.

The revelation that AIG was handing out $165 million in bonus checks after the government invested $170 billion to keep it afloat, led to passage of a punitive tax bill in the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday.

In congressional testimony Wednesday, AIG Chief Executive Officer Edward Liddy urged AIG bonus recipients to "do the right thing" and return at least half their bonus pay.

Liebergall, who co-led AIG's financial products unit, is one of several executives to agree to return bonus pay, ABC News reported.

James Haas, the other co-head of financial products and Douglas Poling, an executive vice president for energy and infrastructure investments who received the largest bonus check -- $6.4 million -- have also said they would return their bonuses.

Many others have not spoken up on the issue, ABC News said.

Congress, with the new tax approved with a 328-93 vote, has spoken clearly. "The American people have said no, and they have said, 'Hell no, give us our money back,'" said Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D.