WASHINGTON - SECURITIES and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Schapiro, who regulates a wide swathe of Wall Street, is the richest of the Obama administration's top officials with an estimated net worth of US$26.6 million (S$37.2 million), according to a new analysis of US public officials' wealth.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton comes in second at US$21.5 million and Attorney General Eric Holder third at US$11.5 million. President Barack Obama is sixth, at US$3.7 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics' latest estimate.
The wealth of the executive branch's top players pales in comparison to members of Congress, some 44 per cent of whom are millionaires.
Republican Representative Darrell Issa of California, who earned his fortune making car alarms, tops the list with an estimated wealth of US$251 million, the watchdog group said.
Jane Harman, A Democratic representative from California whose husband founded an audio equipment company, comes in second with US$244 million. Democratic Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, who founded a department store chain, is worth US$214 million.
Near the other end of the scale, Vice-president Joe Biden is worth only US$27,000, the group estimated. He appeared to be better off than Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, who owes US$42,000 more than he owns, according to the group's estimate. -- REUTERS
