Russ Feingold: “What I then learned subsequently, after already having the opportunity to reveal this information about the salaries…”

“What I then learned subsequently, after already having the opportunity to reveal this information about the salaries, was that I really did not have all the information. In fact, the benefit packages may even be higher. That is certainly true with regard to the president of RFE/RL. GAO issued an opinion on September 9, 1993--and this is after our committee work--regarding the illegality of an additional benefit provided the president of the RFE/RL, and this benefit has been provided to him since 1985. In addition to the salary he received listed on this chart, Mr. Pell also received a yearly allowance of $15,000 which he was not required to account for and payments to a special supplemental retirement plan. GAO determined that the Federal Government has paid $126,000 into this special fund in Mr. Pell's behalf and that the total value of this supplemental retirement plan has risen to over $200,000 today. Again, the American taxpayers are paying for this outrageous compensation package. When Mr. Pell voluntarily resigned last fall, he was also paid $137,000 in severance benefits for what was a voluntary resignation. It was not even a termination. Both the BIB inspector general and GAO have determined that the payments to the special retirement plan were deferred compensation and actually violated the explicit provisions of the authorizing statute.”