Seems the one to thank for the AIG bonuses is Sen. Chris Dodd.
From a Fox news article:
To Recover AIG Bonuses, Lawmakers Scramble to Undo Protections They Approved - Presidential Politics | Political News - FOXNews.com
Though Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., is among those leading the charge on retrieving the bonuses, an amendment he added to the $787 billion stimulus bill last month created a roadblock to getting that money back.
The amendment, meant to restrict executive pay for bailed-out banks, also included an exception for "contractually obligated bonuses agreed on before Feb. 11, 2009."
This would seem to exempt the AIG bonuses that lawmakers and President Obama are looking to recover. Incidentally, Dodd is the largest single recipient of 2008 campaign donations from AIG, with $103,100, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.