Roll Call has been examining the finances of members of Congress since 1990 by combing through their annual financial disclosure reports. This Wealth of Congress study comes from compiling more than 28,000 rows of data from the most recent filings — snapshots of the assets and liabilities of every House member and senator just as their service in the 115th Congress began. (For almost every lawmaker, that’s New Year’s Eve 2016; the seven winners of special elections in 2017 filed during their campaigns.)
Below are summaries for the 431 voting members of the House (there are four vacancies) and the nonvoting members from U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, plus 99 of the senators. (As an appointee, Minnesota Democrat Tina Smith has until May to file a disclosure.)
Wisconsin Republican Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner comes in at 39th with a net worth of $11.1 million–and is the richest elected official from the Badger State.
The next Wisconsin official is Republican Senator Ron Johnson in 45th place with $10.4 million net worth.
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is listed in 103rd place a t$2.9 million.
I certainly do not bemoan that there are rich people in government–but desire them to seek to work in behalf of the nation as a whole. The Kennedy family, as an example, are very wealthy. But their concern for teachers, labor unions, and for middle class citizens are well-noted. It is the rich Republicans who have hearts like bankers which are so problematic.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 