Wash. Senate: Rossi assets worth at least $2.43M

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dino Rossi holds assets worth at least $2.43 million, mostly in real estate, new financial disclosure forms showed Friday.

Rossi also reported income with a minimum value of about $380,000 - including $16,000 for speaking at real estate seminars that discussed making money from buying foreclosed homes.

Democrats have criticized Rossi for speaking at those events, saying it's callous to seek investment opportunities after people lost their homes. Rossi supporters say he spoke generally about real estate and point out that purchasing empty properties is beneficial for the sluggish economy.

Rossi's form was filed Friday afternoon with Senate officials. He was previously granted an extension from regular filing deadlines after entering the campaign in late May.

Exact figures aren't available because the federal report only requires a candidate to check boxes that list asset values in broad ranges. For example, one box covers income ranging between $100,001 and $1 million.

Incumbent Democrat Patty Murray's financial disclosure forms were filed in mid-May. Those documents show Murray and her husband have assets with a minimum value of about $449,000 in various public investment funds and retirement accounts.

Murray's income from those assets had a minimum value of about $72,000 for the 2009 calendar year. That doesn't count Murray's $174,000 Senate salary, which isn't tallied on the forms. Her husband's salary with cargo terminal operator SSA Marine was listed as more than $1,000, which is all that's required for a spouse's salary.

Washington's nonpartisan "top two" primary is Aug. 17. Murray and Rossi are the front-runners to advance through that contest and face each other on the November ballot.

Rossi has been a real estate investor for years, and his disclosure form reflects that. His biggest asset was Hartford Court LLC, which owns apartments in Lake Stevens. It was valued at between $1 million and $5 million.

Rossi's income was mostly through rent on properties. The largest single rent stream was income between $100,001 and $1 million through Coast Equity Partners LLC of Everett.

Murray's listed assets were mostly held by her husband. The largest single value was placed on an SSA Marine retirement plan, worth between $250,001 and $500,000. That was also the largest single source of asset income, worth between $50,001 and $100,000.