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• Charles "Chuck" Grassley is the Republican U.S. Senator from Iowa. In a March 16, 2009, interview with WMT radio, Senator Grassley suggested that AIG's executives, who will be given bonuses despite the company's acceptance of federal bailout funds, should either resign or commit suicide.

  Grassley said they should "...follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say, 'I'm sorry,' and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide."Times Online: US Senator Grassley suggests AIG executives commit suicide (March 17, 2009) Grassley later clarified that he was referring to the tendency of Japanese business people to take responsibility for their own mistakes, and was not actually asking that AIG executives commit suicide.Fox News: Grassley Accuses AIG of Sucking 'Tit' of Taxpayer... (March 17, 20090

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: September 17, 1933 in New Hartford, Iowa
  2. Assumed office: January 5, 1981
  3. Party: Republican
  4. Spouse: Barbara Speicher Grassley
  5. Has five grown childrenOfficial Site: About Chuck Grassley
  6. Alma mater: University of Northern Iowa
  7. Joined the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974
  8. Is a U.S. Senator for Iowa
  9. 15th highest ranking member in the U.S. SenatorOfficial Site: More About Chuck Grassley
  10. Previous occupation: Assembly line worker and farmer

• AIG Suicide Remark

  On March 16, 2009, Senator Grassley was interviewed by Iowa's WMT radio. The senator was discussing Wall Street's responsibility (or lack of) for the economic crisis. Grassley made a remark about AIG's executives who will be receiving bonuses despite the company taking federal funds. Grassley suggested they they "do one of thwo things: resign or go commit suicide." Grassley added, "And in the case of the Japanese, they usually commit suicide before they make an apology."

  A spokesperson later said, "Senator Grassley has said for some time now that generally speaking, executives who make a mess of their companies should apologize, as Japanese executives do. He says the Japanese might even go so far as to commit suicide but he doesn’t want US executives to do that."Times Online: US Senator Grassley suggests AIG executives commit suicide (March 17, 2009)

• Early Life

  Grassley was a member of the Pi Gamma Mu honor society while attending University of Northern Iowa, where he received both his bachelor's and master's degrees. His political career began in the Iowa House of Representatives in the late 1950s.

• Political Career

  In 1974, Grassley was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Six years later, he joined the U.S. Senate, where he was re-elected three times. He is a member of six committees:

  1. Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
  2. Budget
  3. Caucus on International Narcotics Control (Chairman)
  4. Finance (former Chairman)
  5. Joint Committee on Taxation
  6. Judiciary

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