When he was first elected as a Republican to

 the U. S. House of Representatives in 2004,

Michael McCaul's net worth was $12 million. 

Seven years later, in 2011, his net worth is

now $294 million, which makes him the

wealthiest member of Congress.  And

how, it's fair to ask, did he increase his

net worth by 2,350% in just seven years? 

He did it the old-fashioned way---by

accepting large monetary transfers

from his wife's family.