Dan Goldman, who served as lead Democratic counsel in former US president Donald Trump’s first impeachment, would be among the richest members of Congress if he’s successful in his bid to represent a newly redrawn district in New York City.
It’s no secret that Goldman, 46, an heir to the Levi Strauss & Co. fortune, is rich. But financial disclosure forms shared by his campaign with Bloomberg show the extent of his wealth. He has a net worth of between $64 million and $253 million from over 1,700 assets, which would likely place him among the top 20 wealthiest members of Congress if he were to be elected in November.
Goldman’s assets include a broad range of stocks and holdings in a wide variety of industry sectors, including oil and gas, large pharmaceutical companies, health insurers, big tech, military contractors and major commercial banks.
In a statement sent by his campaign, Goldman said that he supports the Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act, a bill that would require members of Congress to divest themselves of their assets or place them in a blind trust. Goldman promised to put his assets into a blind trust if elected, regardless of whether the bill is passed and signed into law.
Goldman said that he has a “deep appreciation for the opportunities my inheritance has provided me” but added that “every American should have full confidence that our elected representatives are operating solely on behalf of the American people, without any appearance of a conflict of interest. That is why elected officials should be prohibited from trading stocks while holding office.”
Goldman's competition
Goldman is one of several candidates vying in the August 23 Democratic primary to represent the 10th Congressional District, which encompasses most of lower Manhattan and much of northwest Brooklyn. Other contenders include US Representative Mondaire Jones, who currently represents parts of Westchester and Rockland counties; former US Representative Elizabeth Holtzman; City Council Member Carlina Rivera; and Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou, a progressive backed by the Working Families Party. Former New York City mayor Bill de Blasio dropped out of the race in July, citing low polling numbers.
The winner of the Democratic primary is expected to easily win the general election in the heavily Democratic district.
Goldman also reported earning $35,250 a year to date from his contract with MSNBC as a political commentator.
In the last federal campaign filing, Goldman said he raised $1.2 million for his congressional race, for which he has yet to spend any of his own personal fortune, although he hasn’t ruled out doing so if necessary.