Event Planners Slam Kerry's Bank-Party Ban

Kerry falls behind with mere $193M

(NEWSER) - It’s been a tough year for most of us, but the richest in Congress, it seems, have only gotten richer: This year’s 50 wealthiest members are worth a collective $200 million more than last year’s, the Hill notes. Among them:

• With a minimum net worth of $287 million, Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, knocked John Kerry out of the top spot this year, leading the rest of Congress by tens of millions. McCaul’s wealth comes largely from his family; his father-in-law founded Clear Channel Communications.

Senators fight back against growing opposition

(NEWSER) - With congressional opposition to US involvement in Libya mounting, Johns Kerry and McCain are offering their support to the mission. They've introduced a resolution backing American engagement in the NATO effort for a year. But the senators don’t support the use of US ground troops in the country, CNN reports. “I believe the president did the right thing by intervening to stop a looming humanitarian disaster,” said McCain. More»

John Kerry, Darrell Issa, Jane Harman lead list

(NEWSER) - Financial disclosure forms from 2009 are in, and the Hill has ranked the 50 wealthiest lawmakers (27 Democrats and 23 Republicans) from the House and Senate. Here's the top 5:

1. John Kerry, $188.6 million: Kerry's wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, is the source of his wealth, though the $188.6 million is something of an estimate—several assets are listed as being worth "over $1,000,000."
2. Rep. Darrell Issa, $160.1 million: His net worth actually dropped by $4 million in 2009 because of investment loses. His wealth came from his founding of a company that makes car security alarms.

Pass the energy bill as a first step

(NEWSER) - Unleash the "energy revolution," writes David Brooks today, making his pitch for the Kerry-Lieberman-Graham bill. It's imperfect, but an essential start. "Energy innovation is the railroad legislation of today," he argues, and if the US wants to remain the world's "pre-eminent nation," it needs a fundamental overhaul of how it thinks and invests. More»

Lame duck can cut a deal with GOP on financial oversight

(NEWSER) - Sen. Chris Dodd’s decision not to seek reelection could make financial regulatory reform more likely while burnishing his own tainted legacy. Oddly, the route to legislative success for the historically Wall Street-connected Dodd would require him to back away from the more populist, pro-consumer stance he took when his poll numbers bombed following the housing mess and disclosure of his perks from Countrywide. More»