Marcy Wheeler is an independent journalist writing about national security and civil liberties. She writes as emptywheel at her eponymous blog, publishes at outlets including Vice, Motherboard, the Nation, the Atlantic, Al Jazeera, and appears frequently on television and radio. She is the author of Anatomy of Deceit, a primer on the CIA leak investigation, and liveblogged the Scooter Libby trial.
Marcy has a PhD from the University of Michigan, where she researched the “feuilleton,” a short conversational newspaper form that has proven important in times of heightened censorship. Before and after her time in academics, Marcy provided documentation consulting for corporations in the auto, tech, and energy industries. She lives with her spouse in Grand Rapids, MI.
Pretty much the only news this week has been outrage over the bogus bonuses paid to individuals in the AIG Financial Products division (yes, they have already been paid) and discussion among the political class as to how to remedy the situation. The moment we have all been waiting for has arrived: Tim Geithner has announced his master plan. Sounds like he stole it from Gomer Pyle.
A nice touch, announcing this on St. Paddy’ Day:
President Barack Obama today announced his intent to nominate Steelers owner Dan Rooney as ambassador to Ireland.
In a statement from the White House, Mr. Obama said, “I am honored and grateful that such a dedicated and accomplished individual has agreed to serve as the representative of the United States to the Irish people.
It sounds like Obama has told Tim Geithner to go back to Edward Liddy and explain that $100 million bonuses are unacceptable.
I’m glad that Obama did this (after seeing the outrage in Congress no doubt). I’m still astounded that Geithner needed to be told. And I’m still suspicious that Geithner was responding to threats from AIG that no one is much talking about.