Congress - Dianne Feinstein

The California Democrat's financier husband, Richard C. Blum, is estimated to be a billionaire from his shrewd investments in companies that profit from federal policies. CBRE, the global commercial real estate company Blum co-owns, took issue with my report that CBRE stood to make $1 billion in commissions from the sale of the post office buildings. “After Mr. Blum was appointed to the Board of UC Regents in 2002, UC invested $748 million in seven private equity deals in which he or his firm, Blum Capital Partners, was a major investor,” investigative reporter Peter Byrne said. CalPERS, the California Public Employees Retirement System, invested more than $5 billion in Blum’s funds.

The US Postal Service plans to sell 56 buildings — so it can lease space more expensively — and the real estate company of the California senator’s husband, Richard Blum, is set to pocket about $1 billion in commissions. Blum’s company, CBRE, was selected in March 2011 as the sole real estate agent on sales expected to fetch $19 billion. Most voters didn’t notice that Blum is a member of CBRE’s board and served as chairman from 2001 to 2014.