Monday, May 21, 2012

Big Bucks: Oklahoma Congressional Delegation Rakes It In

Oklahoma's Republiocan senators and congressmen are doing just fine, thank you very much. In fact, some of them are—wait for it—millionaires.

Must be nice to be a humble servant of the people, like, say, Sen. Jim Inhofe. Financial disclosure forms just released show Inhofe's assets at $3.6 to $10.7 million.

Sen. Tom ("Dr. No") Coburn is no slouch in the income department either, with assets listed at $1.8 million to $5.1 million.

Meanwhile, the median household income in the Sooner state is an underwhelming $42,979. Yes, Sooner fans, it pays to be a politician round these parts.

Even a couple of Oklahoma's Republican congressmen are millionaires. Take Rep. Tom Coleplease! The new reports list his assets at $2 to 5.3 million. Oh, and Cole gets some nice trips out of the deal, including Puerto Rico and Spain.

Consider this: Cole's income from interest, dividends and capital gains was listed at $91,100 to $223,800. Even the lower figure here is more than twice the annual median income in Oklahoma.

But wait. One Oklahoma congressman is a relative pauper among the elite. Tulsa's own John Sullivan—formerly a patient at the Betty Ford Clinic—lists assets at only $15,000-$50,000. Rep. Sullivan lists no major holdings either—no mutual funds, no retirement accounts, no professional partnerships.

Sullivan didn't even list any cool junkets—nada, nothing. He does have a personal mortgage, however, to the tune of $250,000 to $500,000. So that's something.

Maybe Sullivan should take after Rep. James Lankford and take to the pulpit. Langford made a nice chuck of change as a guest preacher—$4,150.

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