Rich pol, poor pol in Congress
NY delegation’s wealth divide
Forget party divides — New York’s congressional delegation is split among the rich and poor.
Some members are multimillionaires with investment properties and others are burdened with thousands of dollars in credit-card debt and multiple mortgages.
The pols are required in annual reports to disclose their assets, investments, outside income from book deals and other ventures, and travel. The assets are listed in ranges.
A Post review of new public disclosures for 2016 found:
Upper East Side Rep. Carolyn Maloney reported assets that ranged from $11.3 million to $47.3 million.
The Democrat owns investment homes in Virginia, a 25 percent interest in a rental property on the island of Jamaica and holds a bundle of municipal bonds. She was ranked the 22nd wealthiest member of Congress in 2014, according to the Web site Open Secrets.
She traveled on congressional trips to Qatar and Cyprus, and to Liberia, Nigeria and other African nations.
Assets held by Democratic Rep. Nita Lowey of Westchester and her husband ranged from $11 million to $44 million. The couple kept between $1 million and $5 million in their checking account. Lowey was ranked the 17th wealthiest member of Congress in 2014.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the former state assemblyman from Harlem who replaced retired Rep. Charles Rangel in January, appeared to be one of the wealthier members of Congress, according to his initial disclosure report, where the Democrat reported having a checking balance of between $5 million and $25 million.
But Espaillat filed an amended disclosure last week, adjusting the balance in the Banco Popular account to between $1,001 and $15,000.
Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand reported bank balances of up to $550,000, while senior Dem Sen. Charles Schumer had up to $460,000 in his accounts.
Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Republican who represents the eastern end of Long Island, owns a home worth up to $250,000 in Sierra Vista, Ariz. He received up to $15,000 in rental income from the property last year.
Zeldin purchased the house while he was on active duty in the Army and stationed at nearby Fort Huachuca, his spokeswoman said.
Rep. Daniel Donovan, a Republican representing Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, owns investment properties much closer to home. He has a Staten Island house worth up to $1 million, from which he received up to $50,000 in rental income. He also has a quarter-interest in another property.
Rep. Nydia Velazquez (DBrooklyn) owns a home in Vieques, PR, worth up to $1 million. She received rental income of up to $50,000 from it. She also reported credit-card debt between $10,000 and $15,000.
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-Bronx) reported between $10,000 and $15,000 in Visa credit-card debt, and Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-LI) said she owed between $50,000 and $100,000 to America Express.
Gregory Meeks filed his disclosure by the May 15 deadline for the first time since 2013. The Queens Democrat listed three mortgages on his St. Albans home.
Ranked among the poorer members of Congress, Meeks did not list any bank accounts, investments or assets.
Several pols are double dipping and collecting state pensions while cashing their federal paychecks, including Reps. Jose Serrano (D-Bronx) and Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan), who are both former members of the state Assembly; and Republican Rep. Peter King of Long Island, the former Nassau County comptroller. Serrano got $15,118, Nadler $21,151 and King $39,000.
Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-LI) and Rep. Yvette Clark (D-Brooklyn) each filed for extensions to submit their reports.