Heard on the Hill: A Look at Their Pocketbooks
Congressional nerd Christmas arrived last week! Members of Congress’ financial disclosure forms were released, and at least one editor around our parts squeed! Here are some of the gems that the Roll Call number crunchers uncovered so far:
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) has a minimum net worth of about $106,000. He might want to stay married for as long as he can, since the bulk of his wealth is living in his wife’s checking account, valued at $100,000 to $250,000.
Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.) must know how low-paid teachers feel because he reports making only $3 — that’s right, three bucks — from the University of Pennsylvania in teaching fees.
Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) can rock out all he wants to in his $450 rocking chair from “Rogers City officials.”
Rep. Charles Boustany’s (R-La.) wife, Bridget, must be quite a potter: She sold $1,200 worth of ceramics in 2010.
If everyone makes nice with Rep. Paul Tonko, maybe he’ll give you one of his many gift cards. The New York Democrat reports winning about $2,000 worth of “assorted dining gift cards” in a raffle … from a food bank.
“Finders keepers” is probably the motto of Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y). The Congressman was the proud recipient of “unclaimed funds” from the state of New York.
Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) took a $53,000 plane ride — a gift from former presidential candidate Ross Perot.
Rep. Ben Chandler (D) has invested more than $15,000 in his hometown paper, the Woodford Sun in Versailles, Ky. In classic newspaper fashion, he has made less than $5,000 back.
Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.) has seven (rather profitable) racehorses. In 2010, his stable won him more $520,000.
We also found out that Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) received a Marine Corps sword valued at about $1,000, making him the second Congressman HOH knows with a sword. The other swashbuckler is Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.).
House Education and Workforce ranking member George Miller (D-Calif.) received an engraved $2,117 “crystal whirlpool” vase from the National Association of Colleges and Universities. According to our records, this is the second engraved crystal whirlpool vase that Miller has received from the NACU in as many years.
