High court is a rich experience

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The nine Supreme Court justices are richer than all but a small percentage of Americans, with at least five millionaires among them.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the wealthiest member of the high court, according to financial disclosure reports released Friday. She has held that honor in past years as well. She’s worth between $7.7 million and $33.7 million, not counting her home in Washington, D.C., and some other holdings.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Anthony Kennedy were not so well off, although it wasn’t clear who was at the bottom of the list. Thomas reported holdings of between $150,000 and $410,000 for 2001, not counting his home in suburban northern Virginia.

Kennedy came in under $1 million, apparently after divesting assets over the past several years.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist earns about $192,000 annually. The other Supreme Court justices make about $184,000 a year.

The reports released Friday cover 2001.

Like many other government employees, the justices must account publicly for income beyond their salaries, and list stocks or other holdings that could potentially influence them on the job.

Ginsburg has retirement accounts worth at least $4 million. She also has real estate holdings. Justice Antonin Scalia has a retirement account from his days as a law professor that is worth between $500,000 and $1 million. Others have similar holdings.

Justice Stephen Breyer is the second-wealthiest, with an approximate net worth between $4.2 million and $15.2 million.

The other confirmed millionaires are O’Connor, who is worth at least $2.8 million and as much as $6.4 million, and Justices John Paul Stevens, worth $1.3 million to $2.7 million; and David Souter, worth $1 million to $5.1 million.

Rehnquist is worth between $510,000 and $1.2 million.

Scalia is the other potential millionaire, with a reported net worth between $500,000 and $1.3 million.