House comes down hard on CEOs
Panel sneers at their use of private jets, asks if they would be willing to take $1 yearly salaries.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081120/AUTO01/811200390/1409
WASHINGTON -- During two days of hearings filled with tense exchanges, one of the most uncomfortable moments took place when Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., asked the chief executives of Detroit's Big Three to raise their hands if they had flown to Washington commercially to ask for financial aid.
No hands went up.
Then he asked if they would be willing to sell their corporate jets and book commercial flights home as a show of good faith. Again, none agreed.
"It's almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in a high hat and tuxedo," quipped Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y. "Couldn't you have downgraded to first class or something, or jet-pooled or something to get here?"
