Roanoke Times Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc. DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 16, 1993 TAG: 9306160226 SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO SOURCE: Associated Press DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Rep. Bart Stupak earned a state police disability pension the hard way, tearing up his knee while running to arrest a bicycle thief.
Rep. Ron Klink worked for his campaign manager at the same time his campaign manager worked for him.
The three lawmakers are all freshmen - Miller a Florida Republican, Stupak a Michigan Democrat and Klink a Pennsylvania Democrat - and their stories come from their first congressional financial disclosure forms.
The annual forms, covering the 1992 calendar year, were released Friday for all House and Senate members except those who received official extensions.
The documents, providing financial profiles of the lawmakers, generally express broad income categories rather than exact amounts. But there are interesting nuggets throughout.
For example, House Republican Whip Newt Gingrich of Georgia reported spending 49 days on the road last year at the expense of political and business groups. House Democratic leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri sold a prime piece of vacation property for up to $250,000.
Senate Democratic leader George Mitchell of Maine helps make ends meet by renting out the basement of his Washington home. House Republican leader Bob Michel of Illinois, who is not nearly so vocal in opposition to abortion as some of his colleagues, donated $200 to Planned Parenthood. Senate Republican leader Bob Dole reported $64,100 in speaking fees.
Lawmakers report their earned income, investments, assets, liabilities, transactions, private positions and government travel. They must itemize their speeches, though the honoraria they once could keep must now go to charity.
Businessman Robert Bennett, R-Utah, earned more than $200,000 in salary and $1 million in capital gains last year. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., earned $33,622 as a state senator and reported no assets or investment income.
The rank-and-file congressional salary last year was $129,500. Leaders received $143,800.
Many House freshmen came from state and local government, where they served as legislators, party officials, council members and prosecutors.
Few are rich, with many doubling - some even quadrupling - their salaries in joining Congress.
Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., a former state legislator, valued the remaining portion of his education loan between $10,001 and $15,000.
Leslie Byrne, a Democrat from Fairfax, Va., listed the same value for her children's student loans.
The fish and reptile business earned Miller, the Florida Republican, between $15,001 and $50,000 last year.
by CNB