Dannemeyer Wealthiest in O.C. Delegation

Rep. William E. Dannemeyer, one of the most fiscally conservative members of Congress, also is the wealthiest representative from Orange County, with assets of at least $2 million, according to federal financial disclosure reports made public Thursday.

Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton), who will retire from Congress next January, is also the most traveled of Orange County’s five members of Congress. An attorney and former state legislator, Dannemeyer also received the most money for making speeches in 1991, fees which now must be donated to charity.

Behind Dannemeyer is Rep. Ron Packard (R-Oceanside), who represents southern Orange County. A dentist by profession, Packard listed assets other than his own home that are valued at between $96,000 and $265,000.

Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) and Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) all listed assets other than homes at under $60,000. Dornan, in fact, said he had none.

The federal financial reports, which detail the 1991 gifts, trips, outside income and assets of each of the 435 members of the House of Representatives, offer a rare glimpse at the personal finances of both incumbent congressional members and their challengers. However, the reports characterize incomes and assets only in general categories, such as $5,000 to $10,000, or $100,000 to $250,000.

According to the reports, Dannemeyer has real estate and financial investments, not including his home, that are worth at least $2.03 million, and perhaps much more. For example, his report lists the value of the Stanford Apartments, an 18-unit building that Dannemeyer owns in Fullerton, as simply “over $1 million.”

The congressman also owns an industrial building in Brea, and the Dannemeyer Professional Building in Fullerton. Loans on the apartment complex and the professional building total between $550,000 and $1.1 million.

In addition to his congressional salary of $125,100, Dannemeyer said he earned between $205,000 and $1.21 million from his investments and from rental income from the apartment building.

Dannemeyer spent a good deal of time on the road in 1991, making five trips that were paid for by private organizations, largely conservative groups that support his strong views against abortion and in favor of fundamental religious values. The groups included Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network, the conservative Eagle Forum, and United for Life, an anti-abortion organization.

The congressman also accepted nearly $7,000 in speaking fees during the year, which he turned over to charities as required by new congressional rules. The congressman spoke to associations representing grocers, candy makers and community hospitals, and to the Arkansas Medical Society.

Dannemeyer was defeated June 2 in his bid to wrest the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate from incumbent Sen. John Seymour, a former Anaheim mayor and Orange County state legislator.

Although Packard reported considerable assets, including a 180-acre parcel of land in Oceanside, investment diamonds, a coin collection and stock in the First National Bank of North County, he said he earned no income on those holdings in 1991.

Packard reported making four trips that were paid for by private groups, including Oregon Health Sciences University, the American Gas Assn., Techtrans, which paid for a visit to Las Vegas, and the Danny Thomas Memorial Golf Tournament in Sun Valley, Idaho. An avid golfer, Packard also said he received $200 in gifts from the Kemper Open Golf Tournament, held each year in Maryland.

The congressman earned $1,300 for charity by accepting speaking engagements from Americans for Safe and Competitive Trucking, and the American College of Dentists. Packard serves on the House Committee on Public Works and Transportation.

Rohrabacher listed assets held in stocks, money market funds and treasury bills valued at between $4,000 and $60,000, and income other than his congressional salary of between $200 and $1,800.

He made three trips during 1991 paid for by private interests. The Council for Inter-American Security paid for an April, 1991, trip to Nicaragua. The National Forum Foundation, a conservative group, paid for a visit to Russia and Eastern Europe in August, and the Vietnamese Refugees Assistance Assn. financed a trip in late December and early January that included stops in Maui, Honolulu and Los Angeles.

Cox listed assets of between $2,000 and $30,000, in the form of investments in a money market account and an individual retirement account. He reported income other than his salary at between $2,900 and $7,900, including interest on a loan he made to his campaign committee. The congressman listed liabilities of between $30,000 and $100,000, loans from David Industries Inc. and Charles Cox.

Cox made two privately financed trips in 1991. Krieble Associates Inc. paid for a six-day trip to Moscow, Vladivostok and Riga, Latvia, in February. The National Forum Foundation footed the bill for a March trip to Bahrain and Kuwait that was organized by the Kuwaiti government.

Dornan listed no assets other than his own home and no outside income. He traveled to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in October, 1991, at the expense of the Cardinal Mindszenty Foundation and to Norfolk, Va., in November on the tab of the Christian Foundation. Fluor Daniel Inc. picked up Dornan’s bill for the same trip to Kuwait made by Cox.

In marked contrast to Dornan’s financial report was the one filed by his unsuccessful challenger in the June 2 Republican primary in Orange County’s 46th Congressional District.

Former Orange County Superior Court Judge Judith M. Ryan, who lost to Dornan, 59%-40%, said she earned more than $216,000 in 1991 as a private arbitrator and mediator. Ryan listed investment income for herself and her husband at between $54,200 and $153,000, and said their joint assets, other than their home, are worth between $1.18 million and $2.64 million. The couple’s liabilities total $50,000 to $100,000, the Ryan report said.

State Sen. Edward R. Royce, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary in the 39th Congressional District and who is the favorite to succeed Dannemeyer, said he and his wife have assets, other than their home, that total between $100,000 and $265,000. Their chief investment is in coffee bean franchise outlets in Thousand Oaks, Laguna Hills and Costa Mesa.

Royce reported outside income of only $1,000 to $2,500 in 1991, over and above his Senate salary of $72,903. He said he and his wife have liabilities of between $200,000 and $250,000 in the form of banks loans on the coffee bean businesses and property in Anaheim.

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What They Earned

The 1991 financial disclosure forms filed with the House of Representatives list outside income, assets other than homes and automobiles, liabilities, gifts and travel paid for by private interests for each member of the House and their challengers. The list below includes Orange County’s five incumbent members of Congress, state Sen. Edward R. Royce, who is the Republican candidate to succeed retiring Rep. William E. Dannemeyer, and Judith M. Ryan, who unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Robert K. Dornan in the June 2 primary. All figures are for income earned and assets held in 1991: Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) Congressional salary: $125,100 Additional income: $2,900-$7,000 Assets other than primary residence: $2,000-$30,000 Liabilities: $30,000-$100,000 Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton) Congressional salary: $125,100 Additional income: $205,000-$1.21 million Assets other than primary residence: At least * $2.03 million Liabilities: $550,000-$1.1 million * Assets could be much more Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) Congressional salary: $125,100 Additional income: 0 Assets other than primary residence: 0 Rep. Ron Packard (R-Oceanside, represents South County) Congressional salary: $125,100 Additional income: 0 Assets other than primary residence: $96,000-$265,000 Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) Congressional salary: $125,100 Additional income: $200-$1,800 Assets other than primary residence: $4,000-$61,000 State Sen. Edward R. Royce (R-Anaheim) Salary, state senator: $72,903 Additional income: $1,000-$2,500 Assets other than primary residence: $100,000-$265,000 Liabilities: $200,000-$500,000 Judith M. Ryan Salary, Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services: $216,789 Additional income: $54,200-$153,500 Assets other than primary residence: $1.18 million-$2.64 million Liabilities: $50,000-$100,000 Source: Individual financial statements