tom coburn

Senators leaving Congress at the end of this year currently hold $5,334,251 in their campaign accounts and leadership PACs.  

Campaign committees may use the funds for any lawful purpose, but the funds cannot be converted to personal use. Some members donate the funds to non-profits, charities, educational institutions, political parties, other candidates (within limits), or refund contributions to the original donors. Or they could leave the funds in the campaign account, and keep it going for years.  

A U.S. Senator, who will be leaving soon to take up duties in China as the U.S. Ambassador, currently has over $3.2 million in his campaign and leadership PAC funds.  

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., was confirmed yesterday as the new U.S. Ambassador to China. The year-end campaign finance report  filed at the end of January by the Friends of Max Baucus showed his campaign committee had $3,200,508 cash on hand, and debts of $1,000. The committee received no contributions in the fourth quarter of 2013. From 1980 to the present, Baucus has raised $32.7 million, and spent $29.5 million on his campaigns. View his career  finances.