I'm sure Senator Dodd appreciates the fact that his "Irish cottage" bought for $190,000 in 2002 is now worth a whopping $658,000 according to the fellow who did the appraisal - the same fellow who appraised the property back in 2002.

I know what you're thinking. Something unethical went on back in 2002 as the appraiser grossly low balled the property so Dodd could afford it.

And you'd probably be right.

But as David Alimari of the Hartford Courant explains, this is par for the course for Dodd:

A new appraisal of the Irish cottage owned by Sen. Christopher Dodd concludes that it is worth about three times as much as Dodd has been reporting on his financial disclosure forms.

The new value of the cottage, located on Inishnee in Galway County, is $658,000, according to Dodd's 2008 financial disclosure form released today.

The appraisal was done by the same person who did the original one in 2002 when the 1,200 square-foot cottage was evaluated at about $190,000.

Dodd has been criticized for low-balling the worth of the cottage in his disclosure forms. Questions also have been raised about his original purchase of the cottage with a Kansas City businessman William Kessinger, who he met through long-time campaign contributor Edward Downe.

The new appraisal, commissioned by Dodd, was completed last month. Questions about the cottage and its true value were first raised earlier this year by the Courant.

"The value of the cottage - or of Irish real estate, generally - isn't something that the Dodds have thought much about. However, questions have been raised and they recognize that it's important to make a good faith effort at valuation for the Senate Financial Disclosures," spokesman Bryan DeAngelis said.