Posted on 06/19/2008 11:22:19 AM PDT by radar101
While last year's sagging economy hit the financial fortunes of millions of Americans -- and most lawmakers -- two Senate leaders did pretty well for themselves, according to a new analysis.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., saw his wealth grow by as much as $1.2 million last year, according to a review of lawmakers' new financial disclosure reports by the Hill newspaper. And Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., saw his assets increase by at least $600,000, according to the paper.
Aside from their $183,500 salary, the two men reported little other income outside of the increase of their investments. Reid received a four-acre property in Searchlight, Nev. from a friend's widow valued at $14,000; McConnell received a crystal sculpture award worth $500 from the American Ireland Fund.
Reid's investments include interests in several mining claims and properties, the paper reported, and has invested in energy and healthcare index funds. Much of McConnell's wealth is spread across more than two dozen investment funds held by himself and his wife, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao.
By contrast, the paper found, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her husband lost between $880,000 and $7.4 million last year; House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., whose reported his worth to be between $334,000-$760,000, lost as much as $35,000. House Republican Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, broke even, reporting assets worth between $2.2 million and $7.9 million.
Gee, and I thought they just wanted to serve the People.
When they ask me what my assets are I say somewhere between $1200 & $6,000,000. If it’s close enough for CONgress then that’s close enough for the gov’ment, right?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.