Politics & Government

Report: Connecticut's Sen. Blumenthal Double Dips

Note: This article was written by Jaimie Cura and posted here by Paul Singley.

Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who has made a career out of championing himself as a man for the people if not of the people, has been collecting a state pension while taking home an annual six-figure Senate salary. 

A report this week in the National Journal says Blumenthal, who served as Connecticut attorney general for many years, is collecting a $47,000 state pension while also getting paid his $174,000 annual salary as a senator, a practice called "Double Dipping." The Senate Democrat, whom the Journal says has a net worth, along with his wife, of at least $80 million, is the third-richest U.S. senator. 

Meanwhile, Connecticut struggles financially under the crushing weight of its pension obligations and only has about half the money it needs to meet its pension obligations, the Journal report states. 

Blumenthal gave the Journal a terse response to its questions about his state pension. 

“The benefits I’m receiving from the state were earned over more than two decades of public service, and they’re two separate entities, two separate governments, and … they’re being paid according to law. I’m not going to comment as to any aspect of my financial disclosure. I would just say, I seek to give back through public service and other ways such as the charitable contributions that my wife and I make.”


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