I too was grabbed by the headline but upon reflection I think I might have made the same decision. I would have just hoped that I could have explained my actions before the media firestorm. Given the election year, the financial crisis and the proclivities of the media, it looks much like an absolute no-win scenario.
If we were just days away from a complete financial meltdown:
Government response reaches dramatic new level: U.S. will take 80% stake in nation's largest insurer to prevent global financial chaos.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- In an unprecedented move, the Federal Reserve Board is lending as much as $85 billion to rescue crumbling insurer American International Group, officials announced Tuesday evening.
The Fed authorized the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to lend AIG (AIG, Fortune 500) the funds. In return, the federal government will receive a 79.9% stake in the company.
NO PART of AIG should have been able to SPEND $400k! And since the Government, i.e. US PEON CITIZENS, now own 80% of AIG, the Government must have allowed their new employees a little R&R to recover from all of the stress from such a traumatic experience.
To hell with that! Pitchforks and Torches!