WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A ban on earmarks won’t stop the “Prince of Pork” from bringing home the bacon. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers (R-KY) has abused his congressional power to funnel hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to a shadowy network of organizations operated by political cronies and family members within his congressional district. It’s no wonder he’s been named by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) as one of the Most Corrupt Members of Congress. Click here to read CREW’s full report of Rep. Rogers.
“Rep. Rogers claims to embrace the new Republican mantra of fiscal restraint, but his record doesn’t match his rhetoric,” said CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan. “In reality, Rep. Rogers has built a fiefdom, where millions in federal funding are funneled to home state projects each year.”
Rep. Rogers sits at the center of an interconnected web that involves Kentucky non-profit groups, a bank he partially owns, and several companies, all with strong connections to each other. Since 2000, almost a half a billion dollars in taxpayer money has been funneled to this web. Rep. Rogers has been particularly generous to the non-profit groups, earmarking more than $174 million. These groups have received an additional $63 million in federal grants, some of which Rep. Rogers personally solicited from federal agencies.
Private companies in this web also benefit from Rep. Rogers’ largesse. During the same time period such corporations have received $227 million in federal funding. Many of Rep. Rogers’ largest campaign donors work at these companies, and one has even employed his son.
“There’s no question Rep. Rogers continues to use his perch as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee to take care of his friends and family,” said Ms. Sloan. “The Prince of Pork hasn’t given up his throne.”
This is the 7th edition of the CREW’S Most Corrupt Report, an annual look at a bipartisan collection of Washington’s worst. This year’s list includes seven Democrats, and 12 Republicans. Five are repeat offenders. Since 2005, CREW has named 70 members of Congress to the list, 32 of whom are no longer in office.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions. For more information, please visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact Garrett Russo at 202.408.5565 or grusso@citizensforethics.org