Congress’s financial winners and losers

Most lawmakers — but not all — fared better than the average American in recent years.

5 Seconds

00:00

While the median American household has seen its wealth plummet by 39 percent since 2007, these lawmakers saw large gains in their estimated wealth between 2004 and 2010, a Washington Post examination of congressional wealth found.

View The Post’s complete findings on every member of Congress.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.)

Issa has consistently ranked in the top five richest House members, with an estimated wealth of $448 million in 2010. The California Republican, who made his fortune in the car alarm business, appeared to lose about $90 million in 2008, but his portfolio gained an estimated $197 million within two years of the financial meltdown. The rises were fueled by his commercial real estate ventures in San Diego and successful investments in mutual funds, bonds and other securities.

View Issa’s full profile.

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)

The House minority leader saw a $60 million increase in her estimated wealth as the value of her husband's real estate holdings in San Francisco climbed dramatically during the first decade of the century. Pelosi’s estimated wealth totaled $101.1 million in 2010.

View Pelosi’s full profile.

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)

Wyden saw his wealth jump dramatically in 2005, the year he married his wife, Nancy, who is a co-owner of New York City’s famed Strand Bookstore. In 2010, his personal wealth was estimated at $6.8 million.

View Wyden’s full profile.

Rick Bowmer / AP

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)

Harkin’s fortune can be traced to his wife's success in the corporate world. The senator's estimated wealth jumped by more than 500 percent between 2004 and 2010. The biggest jump in the couple's wealth occurred in 2007, a time when the stock market was reaching historic heights. The couple doubled their estimated wealth, from $8 million in 2006 to $16 million in 2007. The Great Recession shaved off about $3 million in 2008, but the Harkins rebounded in 2009, rising to an estimated $17 million.

View Harkin’s full profile.

Charlie Neibergall / AP

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

The Senate minority leader is an active investor who saw his estimated wealth grow from $3.1 million in 2004 to $27.2 million in 2010.

View McConnell’s full profile.

Charles Dharapak / AP

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas)

McCaul’s estimated wealth rose by more than 1,000 percent between 2004 and 2010. His wife, Linda, is the daughter of the founder and former chief executive of Clear Channel Communications, which generates nearly $6 billion in annual revenue from its network of radio stations and outdoor advertising business.

While many portfolios suffered painful losses during the economic meltdown, McCaul's finances emerged stronger than ever because of money coming from his wife's family. His estimated wealth skyrocketed, from $70 million in 2008 to $380 million in 2010, broadly invested in numerous companies.

View McCaul’s full profile.

Charles Dharapak / AP

Like many Americans, these members of Congress saw a sharp decline in their estimated wealth between 2004 and 2010.

Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.)

Hoyer’s reported wealth declined by an estimated 90 percent between 2004 and 2010. The House Democratic whip had holdings estimated at $600,000 in 2004, not including his home. Between 2007 and 2008, he lost about $249,000 in his mutual funds, joining legions of investors who watched their savings wither away as the housing and financial markets teetered.

Hoyer’s reported wealth declined by an estimated 90 percent between 2004 and 2010. The House Democratic whip had holdings estimated at $600,000 in 2004, not including his home. Between 2007 and 2008, he lost about $249,000 in his mutual funds, joining legions of investors who watched their savings wither away as the housing and financial markets teetered.

View Hoyer’s full profile.

Chris Keane / Reuters

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.)

The estimated wealth of Waters dropped from $2 million in 2004 to $1 million in 2010. Nearly half of those losses were tied to holdings in OneUnited Bank, where Waters's husband (pictured) served on the board. Waters was the subject of a two-year House Ethics Committee investigation relating to bailout money OneUnited received under the Troubled Assets Relief Program. The committee cleared her of any wrongdoing last month.

View Waters’s full profile.

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Rep. Rubén E. Hinojosa (D-Texas)

Hinojosa is the only member of Congress known to have filed for personal bankruptcy after the financial crisis. In 2007, his family's longtime food processing plant in Mercedes fell on hard times. As the economy shrank, the plant was unable to secure credit. "It took a turn for the worse during the financial crisis," he said in an interview. His estimated wealth fell dramatically between 2004 and 2010, the year he filed for bankruptcy, citing debts that range between $1.4 million and $5.9 million, the largest owed to Wells Fargo.

View Hinojosa’s full profile.

Marco Ugarte / AP

Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-Fla.)

For years, Hastings has been one of the most financially distressed members of Congress. He reported debts of between $2 million and $7 million in 2010. The debt is due to legal fees he incurred in the 1980s when he was a federal judge and accused of accepting bribes. A jury acquitted Hastings, but Congress impeached him.

View Hastings’s full profile.

Carl De Souza / AFP/Getty Images

Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.)

Bono Mack’s estimated holdings dropped from $3 million in 2004 to $848,000 in 2010. Much of the loss was due to the declining value of the music catalogues she inherited from her late husband, onetime congressman and singer-songwriter Sonny Bono.

View Bono Mack’s full profile.

Cliff Owen / AP

Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (D-Ga.)

Bishop had an estimated family wealth of $184,000 in 2004. His mutual funds lost money during the recession. The biggest apparent drop in assets he reported came during 2009, from $335,000 to $9,000 in debt. By 2010, he reported holdings that were an estimated $159,000 in debt.

View Bishop’s full profile.

Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 18: Jockey Gary Stevens rides Oxbow out to the front of the pack on the first straight away during the 138th Running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., on Saturday, May 18, 2013. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)

Oxbow wins and infield fun at Preakness Stakes in Baltimore

Oxbow put D. Wayne Lukas in the record books again with an upset of Orb in the Preakness, giving the Hall of Fame trainer his 14th win in a Triple...

New York Yankees' Travis Hafner bats during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Sunday, May 12, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

MLB power rankings

Barry Svrluga assesses the best teams in Major League Baseball through Thursday.

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 13: Many seminary graduates are choosing not to become pastors. Rebecca J. Cole received her Master of Divinity and is becoming a community organizer on Capitol Hill. She hugs another graduate after the ceremony. The 2013 Commencement ceremony for Wesley Theological Seminary was held on May 13 at the Washington National Cathedral. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

Eager to minister, but not from the pulpit

An increasing number of divinity students who don’t plan to become pastors envision using their degrees to “minister” in a...

epa03704474 A Muslim woman at the ThetKalPyin temporary relief camp near Sittwe in Rakhine State, Western Myanmar, 17 May 2013. A total of 13 people were confirmed dead in neighboring Bangladesh as people began to return home from shelters, a day after Cyclone Mahasen hit the coast, officials said 17 May. EPA/NYEIN CHAN NAING

Photos of the day

Cyclone Mahasen, Texas tornadoes, puffin census, melting Swiss glacier and more.

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 16: American Idol Season 12 Winner Candice Glover (C) is seen onstage during Fox's 'American Idol 2013' Finale Results Show at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on May 16, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Candice Glover wins 12th season of ‘American Idol’

The 23-year-old vocal powerhouse from St. Helena Island, S.C., tops competition in her third try.

US actress Claire Julien smiles on May 16, 2013 while posing during a photocall for the film 'The Bling Ring' at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. Cannes, one of the world's top film festivals, opened on May 15 and will climax on May 26 with awards selected by a jury headed this year by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg. AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLI (Photo credit should read ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Claire Julien, David Hasselhoff, Freida Pinto, Candice Glover, Martin Short and more.

**LOC IMAGE** Geo. Hamilton, Assistant Superintendent, Cambria Iron Mills house, Johnstown Flood, May 31st, 1889. (Photo by Ernest Walter Histed / Library of Congress)

The Johnstown Flood of 1889

On May 31, 1889, the South Fork dam that held Lake Conemaugh failed, and 20 million tons of water descended upon Johnstown, Pa. The flood claimed the lives of 2,209 people and spurred...

HACIPASA, TURKEY - MAY 5: Syrian refugee Hala ponders her life on the run on Sunday, May 5, 2013, in Hacipasa, Turkey. Three times this morning, the sounds of aircrafts were followed by explosions that shook the ground. Hacipasa, which sits just across the river border from Syria, is home of several hundred Syrian refugees who have been displaced by their home country's conflict. For a year, Hala and her family have been displaced from their home village in Syria because of violent conflict. After bouncing from village to village, fleeing bombings that seemed to follow them, the family crossed into Turkey six weeks ago. Initially, the family was deported back into Syria, where they lived in camps for internally displaced Syrians. But when the camps were bombed, the family was allowed to cross into Turkey. Hala said, 'The blood of the people who died in Syria, the martyrs, is our sad song, but nobody is listening.' (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

Turkey faces a refugee crisis

More than 400,000 Syrians have crossed into Turkey seeking refuge from the conflict at home. Finding its resources stretched, Turkey is urgently appealing for international aid and...

Back to Previous Gallery

Discussion Policy | FAQ | About Discussions

Comments

Add your comment

Read what others are saying About Badges

SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.

More about badges | Request a badge

Culture Connoisseur Badge

Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.

More about badges | Request a badge

Fact Checker Badge

Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.

More about badges | Request a badge

Washingtologist Badge

Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Writer Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.

Post Forum Badge

Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Weather Watcher Badge

Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.

More about badges | Request a badge

World Watcher Badge

World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Contributor Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

You must be logged in to report a comment.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.

More about badges

Get a badge

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.