Today's Article
We reveal the 25
richest House leaders,
according to a
comparison
conducted by the
Center For
Responsive Politics
(CRP).
richest House leaders,
according to a
comparison
conducted by the
Center For
Responsive Politics
(CRP).
The American Spark
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House Leaders Make Millions As Rest Of America Struggles
By Cliff Montgomery - June 24th, 2008
The American Spark yesterday printed an article revealing the average net worth of the 25 wealthiest Senate
leaders. We feel it's important to report such information, since "career politicians of all stripes [are] on the
campaign trail claiming that the current poor economy has hurt them too," the Spark printed yesterday.
Americans should see which Senate leaders--Democrat, Republican or other--are lying to them the most. But
we soon realized our article had inadvertently let House leaders off the hook.
Today's article corrects that oversight. Below we chronicle the 25 richest House leaders, according to a
comparison of 2006 disclosure reports conducted by the Center For Responsive Politics (CRP).
Current disclosure reports don't demand exact numbers, but allow lawmakers to only reveal the value range of
each asset they own. This can lead to a ridiculously wide range for total assets.
For example, the total assets held by Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) in 2006 were valued at anywhere from over
$222 million to nearly $567 million, according to that year's disclosure filings.
How then to determine real worth? CRP invented a novel solution: It added together each congressperson's
range of assets, subtracted his or her range of liabilities, then calculated the midpoint of those findings.
"Using this method provides a ranking that more closely reflects reality than using either the minimum or
maximum values," states the center.
Below we offer a CRP chart exposing the average net worth of the 25 wealthiest representatives, according to
a center study of 2006 filings:
Rank Name Average Net Worth
1 Jane Harman (D-Calif) $409,426,887
2 Darrell Issa (R-Calif) $337,440,028
3 Vernon Buchanan (R-Fla) $191,695,634
4 Robin Hayes (R-NC) $82,552,081
5 Charles H. Taylor (R-NC) $66,698,509
6 Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) $49,515,595
7 Michael McCaul (R-Texas) $46,648,568
8 Nita M. Lowey (D-NY) $39,753,196
9 Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) $38,539,554
10 Tom Petri (R-Wis) $35,918,018
11 Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) $34,069,544
12 John Campbell (R-Calif) $32,846,041
13 Bob Beauprez (R-Colo) $32,392,002
14 Denny Rehberg (R-Mont) $31,046,505
15 Gary Miller (R-Calif) $28,244,520
16 James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-WI) $26,093,661
17 Chris Chocola (R-Ind) $24,252,529
18 John Linder (R-Ga) $23,746,007
19 E. Clay Shaw Jr. (R-Fla) $22,566,013
20 Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill) $21,113,011
21 Steve Pearce (R-NM) $20,390,506
22 David Dreier (R-Calif) $18,496,032
23 Heath Shuler (D-NC) $18,255,942
24 Paul E. Gillmor (R-Ohio) $16,710,019
25 Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Conn) $16,485,512
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - June 24th, 2008
The American Spark yesterday printed an article revealing the average net worth of the 25 wealthiest Senate
leaders. We feel it's important to report such information, since "career politicians of all stripes [are] on the
campaign trail claiming that the current poor economy has hurt them too," the Spark printed yesterday.
Americans should see which Senate leaders--Democrat, Republican or other--are lying to them the most. But
we soon realized our article had inadvertently let House leaders off the hook.
Today's article corrects that oversight. Below we chronicle the 25 richest House leaders, according to a
comparison of 2006 disclosure reports conducted by the Center For Responsive Politics (CRP).
Current disclosure reports don't demand exact numbers, but allow lawmakers to only reveal the value range of
each asset they own. This can lead to a ridiculously wide range for total assets.
For example, the total assets held by Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) in 2006 were valued at anywhere from over
$222 million to nearly $567 million, according to that year's disclosure filings.
How then to determine real worth? CRP invented a novel solution: It added together each congressperson's
range of assets, subtracted his or her range of liabilities, then calculated the midpoint of those findings.
"Using this method provides a ranking that more closely reflects reality than using either the minimum or
maximum values," states the center.
Below we offer a CRP chart exposing the average net worth of the 25 wealthiest representatives, according to
a center study of 2006 filings:
Rank Name Average Net Worth
1 Jane Harman (D-Calif) $409,426,887
2 Darrell Issa (R-Calif) $337,440,028
3 Vernon Buchanan (R-Fla) $191,695,634
4 Robin Hayes (R-NC) $82,552,081
5 Charles H. Taylor (R-NC) $66,698,509
6 Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) $49,515,595
7 Michael McCaul (R-Texas) $46,648,568
8 Nita M. Lowey (D-NY) $39,753,196
9 Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) $38,539,554
10 Tom Petri (R-Wis) $35,918,018
11 Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) $34,069,544
12 John Campbell (R-Calif) $32,846,041
13 Bob Beauprez (R-Colo) $32,392,002
14 Denny Rehberg (R-Mont) $31,046,505
15 Gary Miller (R-Calif) $28,244,520
16 James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-WI) $26,093,661
17 Chris Chocola (R-Ind) $24,252,529
18 John Linder (R-Ga) $23,746,007
19 E. Clay Shaw Jr. (R-Fla) $22,566,013
20 Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill) $21,113,011
21 Steve Pearce (R-NM) $20,390,506
22 David Dreier (R-Calif) $18,496,032
23 Heath Shuler (D-NC) $18,255,942
24 Paul E. Gillmor (R-Ohio) $16,710,019
25 Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Conn) $16,485,512
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!