The Hill’s 50 Wealthiest lawmakers

Kerry’s net worth climbed by more than $5 million in 2011 as he remained the wealthiest Democrat in Congress.

The Massachusetts senator, who has long been near or at the top of The Hill’s 50 Wealthiest list, saw his net worth buoyed last year by a decline in his liabilities.

Several contractual agreements attributed to his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, were no longer listed as a minimum value of $1 million or more, reducing the senator’s debts from 2010.

Much of Kerry’s fortune stems from his spouse, who is connected to the Heinz Ketchup fortune through her late husband, former Sen. John Heinz (R-Pa.). 

Teresa is chairwoman of the Heinz Endowments and the Heinz Family Philanthropies and is linked to numerous family trusts, worth millions of dollars, that hold assets in investment funds, land in Pennsylvania and even an airplane charter company based in Pittsburgh.

Kerry holds some assets as well, including trusts that have investments in major companies like Cisco Systems, Exelon and Intel.

- Kevin Bogardus

---