Washington Gridlock Slowed US Economy: JPMorgan's Dimon

(Reuters) -- Washington's inaction on the debt ceiling crisis, government shutdowns and immigration have slowed America's economic growth, JPMorgan Chase & Co Chief Executive Jamie Dimon told NBC News' "Meet the Press" in an interview to be broadcast on Sunday.

Dimon said the economy would have grown faster without the Washington gridlock, but said he did not blame the government as it is elected by the people.

"If we want people in Washington to collaborate, let's elect people who are going to collaborate," he told moderator Chuck Todd.

Dimon, however, said he gave "enormous credit" to several current and former Washington officials for stopping the recession from getting worse. He cited former President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry "Hank" Paulson, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

"And I think if they had not taken a lot of those actions it likely would have gotten worse," he said.

(Reporting by Abhirup Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Leslie Adler)