Ever since the excessive bonuses for AIG were revealed, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) has been in a tizzy, declaring that “rewarding senior executives who created this mess is nothing short of an outrage.” Yesterday, his spokesman, Brad Dayspring, said that Cantor believed that the controversy created “serious questions about the job performance” of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.
But on MSNBC’s Morning Joe today, Cantor was unable to take a position on how to recoup the bonuses. Pressed repeatedly by Lawrence O’Donnell on how he would vote on the House bill “to seize those bonuses back,” Cantor refused to give a straight answer, simply saying, “I want to get those bonus payments back in”:
CANTOR: I’m going to get those bonus payments back in. Because, you know…
O’DONNELL: How are you going to do it? How are you going to get that money back?
CANTOR: Well, first of all, we put in — there was an announcement of a bill yesterday which directs Treasury Secretary Geithner to come out with how he’s going to get it back in. I mean, how in the world…
O’DONNELL: Oh, so you’re going to say, Tim, could you please get it back? I don’t know how. Could you please do it?
The closest Cantor came to saying how he would vote was, “I think you’re going find a lot of support in the House on both sides of the aisle.” O’Donnell interpreted this as, Cantor, the House Minority Whip, saying that “he’s going to let colleagues vote for it.” Watch it:
Cantor isn’t the only House Republican refusing to take a firm position on the bill. Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, wouldn’t tell Politico “one way or the other” what his position is. Cantor’s deputy whip, Rep. Kevin O. McCarthy (R-CA), told Politico that “they have no plans for now to whip a vote against the bill.” “Why would we fall on our swords for this one?” asked McCarthy.
The reluctance of Republicans like Cantor and Price to follow up their “outrage” with action may have to do with the fact that the conservative base is defending AIG against efforts to recoup the bonuses. It appears that the GOP is caught in a quandary between wanting to express populist outrage over the bonuses and sticking to their hardline, anti-tax ideology.
Transcript:
O’DONNELL: Congressman, today’s the day you can do something about it. Have you and your Republican colleagues finally found a tax increase that you can love?
(LAUGHTER)
Are you going to vote for the tax seizure bill that the House of Representatives is going to vote on today to seize those bonuses back?
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: Which, by the way, just for the record — side bar here, counselor…
(LAUGHTER)
… that will not be sustained by the Supreme Court.
O’DONNELL: I said that yesterday.
(CROSSTALK)
O’DONNELL: But what I want to know, Congressman Cantor, is…
SCARBOROUGH: It’s unconstitutional.
O’DONNELL: Well, Congressman Cantor, if you’re opposed to these bonuses, have you finally found the tax increase that you like, specifically targeted for those bonuses? If not, how would you get the money back?s
CANTOR: Listen, I am for whatever we can do right now to get that money back into the Treasury.
O”DONNELL: You’re going to vote for it today? There’s a vote today.
(CROSSTALK)
O’DONNELL: … vote for it today?
CANTOR: And, well, I — I’m going to — we’ve got two bills coming to the floor today. There’s a sense of Congress which says that we ought to take a look at all of this. I mean, why are we here to begin with?
O’DONNELL: Do you not know how you’re going to vote on Charlie Rangel’s tax bill today?
CANTOR: It is terrible tax policy, but I’m telling you one thing: I want to get those bonus payments back in.
O’DONNELL: I think I heard a no. Was that a no?
CANTOR: I’m going to get those bonus payments back in. Because, you know…
O’DONNELL: How are you going to do it? How are you going to get that money back?
CANTOR: Well, first of all, we put in — there was an announcement of a bill yesterday which directs Treasury Secretary Geithner to come out with how he’s going to get it back in. I mean, how in the world…
O’DONNELL: Oh, so you’re going to say, Tim, could you please get it back? I don’t know how. Could you please do it?
CANTOR: I mean — I mean, we all know that he approved the second tranche of the TARP money that went to pay these bonuses. Where were…
O’DONNELL: But you don’t have an idea? What you’re telling us today, We have no idea how to get the money back. We’d like to ask the Treasury secretary to do it. We will not vote for Charlie Rangel’s tax proposal to get the money back ?
CANTOR: I’m not saying that. I think you’re going find a lot of support in the House on both sides of the aisle.
O’DONNELL: But you don’t know how you’re going to vote? It’s too early in the morning for you to know how you’re going to vote…
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: Hold — hey, you know, Lawrence, we know that you’re a little revved up about St. Patrick’s Day.
O’DONNELL: Two cups of coffee, Congressman.
(CROSSTALK)
O’DONNELL: … I apologize.
SCARBOROUGH: Congressman, we’re sorry. He’s from the West Coast. He’s not used to being up this early.
(LAUGHTER)
SCARBOROUGH: Go ahead. We will actually let you answer. Go ahead.
(LAUGHTER)
CANTOR: Right. Listen, I think you’re going to find a lot of bipartisan support for the Rangel bill.
(LAUGHTER) Now, I mean, do you think this is good tax policy? No. Do you think it’s good policy to have the government owning our banks and deciding on — payments, on — executives? No. But the fact of the matter is, the people of this country know it’s their taxpayer dollars that have been put out there and are paying these bonuses. I mean, how crazy is that?
O’DONNELL: I just want to know how you’re going to vote, one vote.
SCARBOROUGH: He’s going to vote for it.
BRZEZINSKI: OK.
O’DONNELL: No, he’s not saying that.
SCARBOROUGH: No, read between the lines. He’s going to vote for it.
(CROSSTALK)
O’DONNELL: He says he’s going to let colleagues vote for it.
Update:
The House just approved a bill to impose a 90 percent tax on AIG bonuses by a 328–93 vote. Cantor voted yes.