The Golden Parachute: Carly Fiorina

Here you go! Are we starting a “witch hunt”? Is every CEO going to come under scrutiny during the credit crises? What skeletons lay in Barack’s closet---former Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac CEOs?

McCain: Fiorina a 'Role Model'

Washington Post, September 24th, 2008 By Robert Barnes http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/23/mccain_fiorina_a_role_model.html

Republican presidential nominee John McCain has been on a tear of late about the exorbitant buyout packages that dismissed executives take from their companies. He has proclaimed that former Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac CEOs (and Obama supporters) Jim Johnson and Franklin Raines should "give back" the $21 million and $25 million severance packages they received. So wouldn't it seem logical that former Hewlett-Packard executive (and McCain supporter) Carly Fiorina should send back her $42-million golden parachute? Apparently not. Reminded that Johnson and Raines, like Fiorina, received the money from shareholders rather than taxpayers, McCain said: "First of all ... Fannie and Freddie, as we know, were quasi-government organizations, clearly organizations that at least made people believe, and market believe, that they were part of the federal government.'' But what about Fiorna? "I believe that Carly Fiorina is a role model to millions of young Americans," McCain said. "She started out as a part-time secretary and she ended up a CEO of one of the major corporations in America. I'm proud of her record and so I want everybody to know that Carly Fiorina is a person that I admire and respect."

McCain offers requirements for bailout support

Associated Press By BETH FOUHY – September, 24th, 2008 http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iE2JCSH5p9r2GBkQWS9TWAMzmuvQD93COM601 FREELAND, Mich. (AP) —

Republican John McCain said Tuesday that legislation is needed to bail out financial companies, but hinted he might vote against the Bush administration's $700 billion proposal unless it includes five measures he said would make it more palatable for taxpayers. "Further inaction is simply not an option," McCain said in brief remarks to reporters, his first news conference in more than a month. "We must pass legislation to address this crisis. If we do not, credit will dry up, with devastating consequences for our economy. People will no longer be able to buy homes and their life savings will be at stake. Businesses will not have enough money to pay their employees." He called the proposed bailout a "staggering" figure that amounts to a $10,000 contribution for each U.S. household, money that could otherwise be used to rebuild roads and bridges in every town in the country. To protect taxpayers, he asked for a bipartisan board to provide oversight, a plan to recover the money, a cap on compensation for executives of firms that helped by the bailout and a ban on earmarks on the legislation. McCain stopped short of saying he would vote "no" if his priorities weren't reflected. "I can't say that at this time because the emphasis should be on the adoption of these principles," McCain said. But he but pushed back on suggestions that Democrats might not support the plan if they thought McCain would vote against it and then demonize party lawmakers for favoring a massive new government program. "Somehow for Democrats to say their vote is gauged on my vote frankly doesn't do them a great deal of credit," McCain said. "Their first and only priority should be making sure this economy recovers." McCain said the financial crisis was the worst since World War II and insisted he had warned about the condition of the nation's home mortgage market as early as two years ago, when he raised questions about the accounting practices of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The federal government seized control of troubled housing giants this month. McCain has tied Democratic rival Barack Obama to Fannie and Freddie's troubles and has called on Jim Johnson and Franklin Raines — both Obama supporters and former Fannie Mae executives — to return large "golden parachute" payments they received from the corporations after leaving. But under questioning, McCain said the same standard ought not to apply to Carly Fiorina, a top supporter who received a $42 million payout after being fired as CEO of Hewlett-Packard. Under her tenure, the computer giant shed 20,000 jobs and lost half its market value. Fiorina, McCain said, "is a role model to millions of young American women ... I'm proud of her record. I want everyone to know that Carly Fiorina is a person I admire." While members of Congress have agreed in principle on aspects of the administration's proposal, many Democrats and some Republicans, like McCain, have insisted the plan deny golden parachute payments to executives at failing financial firms.