Don't Run, Take the Money

If you thought corporate pensions were high, you're not a member of Congress. Here are the annual takes* for a few departing notables:

Rep. Tom Foley

(D.-Wash.) defeated

$123,804

Rep. Bob Michel

(R.-Ill.) retiring

$110,538

Rep. Jack Brooks

(D.-Texas) defeated

$96,462

Rep. Rostenkowski

(D.-Ill.) defeated

$96,462

Sen. Don Riegle

(D.-Mich.) retiring

$81,078

Sen. M. Wallop

(R.-Wyo.) retiring

$59,775

Sen. D. DeConcini

(D.-Ariz.) retiring

$55,669

Sen. John Danforth

(R.-Mo.) retiring

$53,289

Sen. David Boren

(D.-Okla.) retiring

$47,874

Sen. Jim Sasser

(D.-Tenn.) defeated

$53,289

Rep. Jim Cooper

(D.-Tenn.) defeated

$35,973

Sen. Harris Wofford

(D.-Pa.) defeated

$0

(did not serve long enough to qualify)

*Formula: 2.5% of the highest three-year salary average multiplied by number of years served

[TMFONT 1 d #666666 d {Source: National Taxpayers Union Foundation}]