AP via CNN:

Lawmakers reveal personal finances
Book royalties, investments lucrative for members of Congress

Wednesday, June 14, 2006; Posted: 11:21 p.m. EDT (03:21 GMT)

Sen. Hillary Clinton made $872,891 from her memoir, "Living History."

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lawmakers caught up in ethics investigations have
plenty of cash -- perhaps in case they someday face hefty lawyers'
bills.

House and Senate members detailed their finances Wednesday in the
midst of public and government scrutiny of certain dealings that have
caused Congress' popularity to drop.

The reports require lawmakers to list last year's assets and debts,
along with any income beyond the $162,100 salary for the rank-and-file
House and Senate members. Rules require lawmakers to donate their
speaking fees to charity and to limit gifts from any individual to
$100 in a year. (Selected financial disclosure statements)

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tennessee, holds blind trusts
worth $7.5 million to $36 million. He reported making $5 million last
year from the largest, worth between $5 million to $25 million.

Frist faces a Securities and Exchange Commission insider trading
investigation over selling stock in a hospital company his family
founded. He denies any wrongdoing and said he ordered the sales to
avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest as he considers running
for president in 2008.

Rep. Charles Taylor, R-North Carolina, founder and chairman of Blue
Ridge Savings and Loan in Asheville, reported stock in a holding
company for the bank worth more than $50 million. He also purchased 80
percent of a Russian bank and founded a Russian investment company.

State Democrats have called for congressional ethics and conflict of
interest investigations into Taylor's banking activities and links to
lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who pleaded guilty in a federal bribery
investigation.

Republican Tom DeLay of Texas, who resigned his House seat last week,
showed his legal troubles have led him into sizable debt. DeLay
reported owing $250,001 to $500,000 to four separate lawyers and law
firms.

DeLay also reported individual and corporate contributions to a legal
defense fund worth $588,320. He has predicted that legal bills will
cost him $3 million.

Not every lawmaker under ethical scrutiny, who might amass large legal
bills, can count on large bank accounts.

Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, under investigation at the Justice Department
and the House ethics committee for his ties to Abramoff, reported no
major assets or liabilities, nor any major outside sources of unearned
income.

Ney, one of the recipients of an Abramoff golfing trip to Scotland,
also reported no privately funded travel. He and his staff have said
they stopped allowing any outside groups to pay for trips.

Rep. William Jefferson, D-Louisiana, under investigation by the FBI
for bribery, owns two tracts of farmland in Louisiana, each worth
$50,001 to $100,000. He loaned $100,001 to $250,000 each to his
mayoral and gubernatorial campaigns, as well as $50,001 to $100,000 to
"Jefferson Interests." His office would not provide additional
details.

Jefferson also reported three major liabilities. He owes between
$50,001 and $100,000 each to Dryades Bank and Noah Samara, chairman
and CEO of Worldspace Satellite Radio. He also has a $15,001 to
$50,000 loan from Liberty Bank of New Orleans.

The FBI claims agents found $90,000 in bribe money stashed in
Jefferson's home freezer. Jefferson has not been indicted and has
denied all wrongdoing in connection with a federal investigation.

Sen. Robert Byrd, D-West Virginia, earned $103,095 in royalties for
the book "Losing America: Confronting a Reckless and Arrogant
President." He used the money to pay for medical care for his wife,
Erma, who died in March, spokesman Tom Gavin said.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, made $872,891 from her memoir,
"Living History." She has reported earning $8.7 million from the work
in prior years. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, reported royalties and
a book advance. He revealed that with permission of the Senate Ethics
Committee, he agreed with Random House to a $1.9 million advance
against royalties for writing two nonfiction books and one children's
book. He intends to donate $200,000 to charity.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, earned $5,175 in royalties for a
reprinting of his 2003 book, "A Call to Service."

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, received royalties worth
$15,001 to $50,000 from publication of "Speaker: Lessons from Forty
Years of Coaching and Politics."

Some lawmakers were lucky last year. House Majority Leader John
Boehner, R-Ohio, took home $2,700 in slot machine winnings. Sen. Judd
Gregg, R-New Hampshire, won an $853,492 share of a $340 million
multistate Powerball lottery jackpot.