New Senators Among Richest

Money can't necessarily buy power these days, but it definitely helps. The newest members of Congress are also some of the richest lawmakers on Capitol Hill. According to The Hill newspaper, about a tenth of its new list of the 50 wealthiest lawmakers were either voted in during the last election or appointed in 2009. Reps. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), as well as appointed Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), are among some of the newcomers with the deepest pockets. The richest lawmaker is Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who's worth at least $167.8 million, thanks to the fortune of his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry.