By Scott Wilson
President Obama was informed about the $165 million in bonuses due to employees of the American Insurance Group the day before they were paid out last week, the White House disclosed late Tuesday.
Obama has expressed outrage that the company, which has received about $170 billion in government bailout money, proceeded to pay out the bonuses. He said the idea of a company rescued with taxpayer money awarding bonuses runs counter to "our values."
The timeline released Tuesday marked the first time the White House has acknowledged when the president was told about the bonuses, which have prompted calls from Congress for the administration to recover the money.
Obama's press secretary, Robert Gibbs, has said the president has ordered White House and Treasury Department lawyers to find ways to block the bonuses, which were paid out Friday under contracts signed last year.
The president did not publicly express anger over the bonuses until after they were disclosed Sunday in The Washington Post.
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