How rich are area members of Congress? Key takeaways from our reporting

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, right, confers with Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, right, as the House finishes voting on the second day of balloting to elect a speaker, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, right, confers with Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, right, as the House finishes voting on the second day of balloting to elect a speaker, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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Editor’s note: Every Sunday Josh Sweigart, editor of investigations and solutions journalism, brings you the top stories from the Dayton Daily News and major stories over the past week you may have missed. Go here to sign up to receive the Weekly Update newsletter and our Morning Briefing delivered to your inbox every morning.

We had reporter David Levinthal look into how our area senators and congressmen make their money and just how wealthy they are. This kind of investigation is important not only to make sure public servants aren’t using their public office to get rich, but also so voters have a fuller picture of those representing them in Washington D.C.

Key takeaways from our reporting:

1. Our analysis: Federal lawmakers were required this month to file financial disclosures, which include assets save for one’s primary residence and income other than their $174,000 congressional salary. We obtained these reports for Ohio’s two senators and our area members of Congress.

2. Backdrop: This comes amid heightened public interest in the personal finances of public officials — and the potential for abuses and conflicts-of-interest. There are bipartisan calls for limits on federal lawmakers buying and selling stocks because of their ability to influence the market.

- U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Cincinnati (whose district includes all of Warren County), earlier this year confirmed to the Dayton Daily News that he sold his individual stocks after a violation of congressional rules in late 2024.

3. One-percenter: Our new investigation found Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno made a fortune with his Cleveland-area car dealership that he parlayed into vast property and investment holdings. While he apparently no longer owns the dealership, his assets and investments total potentially well over a quarter billion dollars.

4. Working class Jim: At the other end of the spectrum is Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, who owns little more than a checking and savings account and makes miniscule royalties from a couple books he wrote.

The full story: Go here for the whole story, including the finances of Sen. Jon Husted, as well as Reps. Warren Davidson, R-Troy; Mike Turner, R-Dayton, and others.

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Josh Sweigart is an investigative reporter at the Dayton Daily News. His stories have focused on government waste, fraud, abuse and accountability in southwest Ohio, as well as the statehouse and U.S. Capitol.