Biden claims Jill once complained he was the ‘poorest’ man in Congress

Joe Biden claimed his wife complained that he was the poorest man in Congress in the President’s latest questionable tale.

He told a New Mexico community college yesterday that he had been the ‘poorest man in congress’ and added it was a ‘true story.’ He said: ‘I called [Jill] one morning. I was up in the state of Vermont campaigning for Pat Leahy. The president continued: ‘I said, “Hi, honey. How are you?” She said, “Fine.”‘ He added sarcastically: ‘Well, you know that’s a good start.’

President Biden added: ‘She said, “Did you read today’s paper?” True story. “Did you read today’s paper?” — meaning the local Wilmington paper. I said, “No, honey. I didn’t see it.” She said, “Headline, front page, top of the fold: ‘Biden: Poorest Man in Congress.’ Is that true?”‘ Biden replied: ‘Well, I didn’t think you were supposed to make money when you’re in Congress. I didn’t feel poor. No, no, and by the way, I got elected when I was 29. I had no income. I mean, I had a little. I was just starting my law practice. But I had a good salary as a senator. I thought that was just fine.’ Pictured: The Bidens as a young couple.

When the U.S. president started out as a senator his annual salary was $42,500 and by the time he married Jill in 1977 it had raised to $57,500. At the time, the average income for American households was more than 76 percent less at just $13,570. Biden was likely one of the least wealthy senators when he first entered Congress but since there are not records of all senators in 1973, when Biden joined, it is impossible to prove he was the poorest.  

It’s not the first time the President has made a questionable claim. Just last month he claimed he was ‘raised in the Puerto Rican community’ in Delaware. He said: ‘We have a very large Puerto Rican population in Delaware relative to our population. Biden continued: ‘We have the eighth largest Black population of the country and between all minorities, we have 20 percent of our state [that] is minority. And so I was sort of raised in the Puerto Rican community at home, politically.’

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