Club life for Rick Scott

Florida Sen. Rick Scott has a solid setup when he’s not in Washington.

Scott’s home in Naples, Fla., is worth between $5 million and $25 million. He also has a boathouse there, which is valued between $100,000 and $250,000.

The Republican has another house in Troy, Montana, worth between $1 million and $5 million.

Scott lists a refundable club deposit between $1,000 and $15,000 for Royal Poinciana, an exclusive country club in Naples, Florida, where tee times are not required. The club’s website also says it “enjoys a healthy waiting list,” but does not specify how much it costs to become a member. 

Additionally, Scott lists a refundable club deposit valued between $50,000 and $100,000 for Red Sky, a ranch and golf club in Wolcott, Colorado. Red Sky requires a membership deposit of $140,000 with just under $10,000 in annual dues.

Romney getting paid

Sen. Mitt Romney has made good money from speaking engagements and service on corporate boards, according to his 2018 financial disclosure report.

The Utah Republican made $177,342 giving speeches in 2018. NBCUniversal Media paid him $137,082 and the Retail Industry Leaders Association paid Romney $40,260.

He also earned $1.63 million as a director on corporate boards. Marriott International paid him $1.41 million, and Romney earned $220,000 from Solamere Capital in 2018. Additionally, he earned $1.88 million in retirement income from his Goldman Sachs IRA. 

How much did the Van Drew Crew make?

Of the five Jeff Van Drew staffers who resigned in protest after he made it clear he was planning to switch his allegiance from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party, four of them were among the highest paid and most senior employees in the office, according to payroll records from July 2019. 

Five staffers resigned from Van Drew’s office on Dec. 15: Javier Gamboa, a legislative director who made an annual salary of $110,000; Edward Kaczmarski and Justin O’Leary — both of whom served as deputy chiefs of staff and made $101,000 each; and Mackenzie Lucas, a communications director who earned $80,000 a year.

Another signatory, Caroline Wood, worked as a legislative assistant and made $50,000 annually, a salary that was on the lower end of the spectrum in the former Democrat’s office.

West Coast trip to Amazon

Amazon.com, Inc., paid for one of Sen. Ron Johnson’s staffers to travel to the online marketplace’s global headquarters in Seattle, Washington. Annie Chestnut, who works as an aide in the Wisconsin Republican’s office, traveled to Amazon from Nov. 4-6 to meet with executives, tour the facilities and examine policy issues in the commerce, transportation and technology arenas.

The trip cost $1,338, according to a good faith estimate submitted by Chestnut to the Senate Office of Public Records on Dec. 16.

Perdue 2020

Benjamin Fry, a staffer for Sen. David Perdue, transitioned to the role of campaign manager in December for the Georgia Republican’s reelection bid. Fry made $50,625 from Perdue for Senate, according to his financial disclosure report filed Dec. 31. Perdue faces several Democratic challengers, including Jon Ossoff.

Glass pipe crackdown

On Dec. 31, a Capitol Police officer saw two individuals pass “what appeared to be a glass pipe back and forth” in the 100 block of D Street, NW. A check conducted by the officer found that there was an active city bench warrant out for that individual. The suspect was arrested.