Old habits die hard for Republican Rep. Harold Rogers — at least when it comes to earmarks.
Known by his critics as the “Prince of Pork,” the long-time appropriator over the years earned a reputation for bringing largesse to his Kentucky district, catching criticism for funneling tens of millions in earmark money to entities he had close ties to.
Now, in the time since Congress returned to earmarks in 2021 after a decadelong ban, the 88-year-old lawmaker appears to have resurrected his old ways.
Rogers has earmarked more than $30 million in funding since then to three nonprofits he has helped launch, and has requested an additional $22.5 million for two of the organizations for fiscal 2027, a review by CQ Roll Call found.
There’s no indication the approach violates House restrictions that govern earmark funding. But critics of the spending practice say it underscores a shortcoming in earmark rules, another folly of a system that still allows individual lawmakers to steer taxpayer money to pet projects associated with their own legacies.
