Kansans disclose earnings

Brownback leads delegation in wealth

? Two Kansas lawmakers sold off major assets last year, but reports released Friday don’t tell whether the state’s delegation to Congress suffered the stock market losses endured by many Americans.

Because lawmakers report their wealth in broad ranges of money, it is impossible to tell just how much they are worth. Still, the two Kansas senators and four Kansas House members appear to be living comfortably.

Republican Sen. Pat Roberts and his wife, Franki, reported capital gains of $50,001-$100,000 on selling their one-third share in a townhome development in Winchester, Va.

And Democratic Rep. Dennis Moore and his wife, Stephene, reported selling their Lenexa, Kan., condominium for $50,001-$100,000 and a cabin at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks for $100,001-$250,000.

The reports, which cover 2001, don’t really specify stock losses. Mrs. Roberts is an active stock trader she belongs to the “Meager Means Investment Club” and reported a portfolio of stocks worth $52,037-$605,000 with income generally of less than $201 apiece, about the same as last year.

Another lawmaker with lots of stock is Republican Sen. Sam Brownback, who appears to be the delegation’s wealthiest member by far. Brownback and his wife, Mary, reported that their blind trust has investments worth $1 million to $5 million.

Besides several other assets, Mrs. Brownback reported her own investments worth $83,006-$245,000. And in 2001, Mrs. Brownback transferred 40 stocks in her name worth $2,042,040-$4,995,000 into the couple’s blind trust. That included stock in failed Enron Corp. of $15,001-$50,000.

Another Kansan actually bought Enron stock: GOP Rep. Todd Tiahrt. He bought Enron stock worth $1,001-$15,000 in January 2001, months before the energy-trading giant collapsed. He bought, sold and exchanged stocks in 65 different transactions, each worth $1,001-$15,000.

Tiahrt’s major assets were bank accounts and IRAs containing mutual funds, in all worth $73,073-$1.095 million.

Unlike the four House members, Roberts and Brownback reported no expenses-paid trips.

Among the House members:

Tiahrt and his wife, Vicki, traveled from Washington to Hawaii for a six-day trip paid for by the American Association of Airport Executives.

The Aspen Institute paid for Moore’s trip to Greenbrier, W. Va.; the Democratic Leadership Council paid for a trip to Key Largo, Fla.

The Heritage Foundation think tank paid for Republican Rep. Jim Ryun’s trips to Baltimore and to Colorado Springs, Colo., and the Peoria, Ill., Leadership Prayer Breakfast paid for a trip to Peoria.

Moran, an advocate of lifting U.S. trade embargoes on Cuba, traveled to Havana, via Miami courtesy of the Center for International Policy.