WASHINGTON — Sen. Michael Bennet is worth between $6 million and $27 million, making him the second- or third-richest Colorado lawmaker and the 15th wealthiest person in the Senate, according to a financial disclosure statement.
The statement is the first detailed look at his finances since Bennet, a Denver Democrat, was appointed to the Senate in January, and put his net worth in line with Rep. Betsy Markey, a Democrat from Fort Collins, and well-behind dot-com millionaire Jared Polis, a Boulder Democrat.
Bennet made most of his money as a former executive for Anschutz Investment Co., where he oversaw the restructuring of three ailing cinema chains into Regal Entertainment Group, one of the world’s largest movie-theater companies.
He still holds between $500,000 and $1 million in Regal stock but has shifted most of his assets into Treasury cash reserves, which he valued at between $5 million and $25 million.
Though the Senate has no shortage of millionaires — Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is worth as much as $388 million, for example — Bennet’s average holdings still place him in that group’s top tier.
A spokeswoman for Bennet said his net worth is closer to the bottom than to the top of the range he reported.
Freshman Polis, who’s worth between $97 million and $254 million, enjoys an even higher ranking among House members, at No. 3, according to a comparison by .
Lawmakers are required to file new financial disclosures based on 2008 data later this week, but Bennet filed his early, a month after he was appointed to fill the seat of Ken Salazar, now a member of President Barack Obama’s Cabinet.
Based on last year’s data, Colorado’s lawmakers run the gamut when it comes to their personal finances. Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican, is worth between $16,000 and $65,000.
The nine-person delegation has as many as six millionaires, if their incomes fall near the upper end of the reporting range of the disclosures: Bennet; Polis; Markey; Sen. Mark Udall, a Democrat from Eldorado Springs; Rep. Ed Perlmutter, a Golden Democrat; and Rep. John Salazar, a Manassa Democrat.
Markey, a former businesswoman who co-founded the software company Syscom Services Inc., is worth between $5.2 million and $26 million, according to last year’s filing.
Colorado congressional delegation’s wealth
Range of net worth reported in financial disclosure
Sen. Michael Bennet of Denver: $5,945,000-$27,210,000
Sen. Mark Udall of Eldorado Springs: $732,056-$2,209,000
Rep. Jared Polis of Boulder: $97,374,113-$254,377,000
Rep. Betsy Markey of Fort Collins: $5,180,033-$25,904,999
Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Golden; $867,036-$2,409,999
Rep. Diana DeGette of Denver: $349,021-$987,000
Rep. Mike Coffman of Aurora: $203,006-$495,000
Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado Springs: $16,000-$65,000
Rep. John Salazar of Manassa: -$4,698,998-$3,664,996
Source: ; 2008 personal financial disclosures
