Senators late with ethics filing

Personal financial disclosure forms made public Friday lay bare senators’ every asset and liability for all to see. Well, senators who actually bother to file their reports on time, that is.

Nearly one in five senators couldn’t manage to file their reports on time. Those slackers filed extensions that grant them until the middle of August to get their financial picture in order.

Some of the late filers can say they have never filled out such all-encompassing forms before. Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) are filing their first reports with the Senate.

Others are still getting used to the process. Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Jim Webb (D-Va.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) were all elected in 2006, so they may still be working out the kinks in their accounting system.

Casey filed for an extension past the May 15 deadline, but then filed his report just four days later.

But we can’t help but wonder where veterans of the system are doing slacking off on their reports.

Sens. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who had to turn in similar reports when they were House members, haven’t turned in their reports, even though Mark’s cousin Tom (D-N.M.) managed to get his in on time.

Longtime Sens. Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Dan Inouye (D-Hawaii), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Kit Bond (R-Mo.) were all tardy and will be filing their reports by August.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) also filed an extension, but his accountants got the requisite documents together by June 4.

Reporters and researchers at the requisite political committees will eagerly await word that any of the 17 tardy senators have filed their reports.

– Reid Wilson