CAGW Remembers “King of Pork” Sen. Robert Byrd

There have been very few members of Congress who loved their state more or were loved more by their constituents than Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.).  His passing last night marks the end of his unparalleled career, which he dedicated to protecting the Constitution and doing what he thought best for West Virginia.

Americans will remember Sen. Byrd for many different reasons.  Citizens Against Government Waste will recall him as the longtime “King of Pork” for his $4 billion in earmarks since CAGW issued the first Congressional Pig Book in 1991.  CAGW named Sen. Byrd “Porker of the Month” four times, and an online poll crowned him “Porker of the Year” in 2002.  His “achievements,” including many of the locations named after him in West Virginia that could be considered as taxpayer-funded advertisements for his re-election, can be found in the “Byrd Droppings” section of CAGW’s website.

Sen. Byrd’s passing, along with the loss of former Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and retirement of House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) could be the end of a long era of excessive earmarking and a chance to cut out all pork-barrel projects.

In the primary elections to date in 2010, three former CAGW “Porker of the Month” recipients have lost – Rep. Allan Mollohan (D-W. Va.); Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), who was “Porker of the Year” in 2006; and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), who lost her challenge to Gov. Rick Perry.

In addition, there are currently 49 candidates who have signed  and publicized their support for the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste’s NO PORK PLEDGE; three of whom have won their primary elections:  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) opponent Sharron Angle, Governor Rick Perry of Texas, and the Republican Senate nominee from Pennsylvania, Pat Toomey.

Several factors have contributed to the building outrage over earmarks around the country.  The first was the “Bridge to Nowhere” in Alaska, which was included in the 2005 highway reauthorization bill.  Similar monikers were subsequently used for other projects, such as the “road to nowhere,” which could have been applied to a number of extra-wide and little-used highways in West Virginia.  Second, the Democrats in Congress provided more transparency for earmarks, including a requirement that the names of members appear next to their projects.  Finally, both Democrats and Republicans in the House agreed to their own version of an earmark moratorium for fiscal year 2011.

“Sen. Byrd truly protected his pork,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz.  “He once called CAGW ‘a bunch of peckerwoods,’ and said, ‘You might as well slap my wife as take away my highway money.’  He often lauded his ‘contributions’ to his state, with comments such as, ‘West Virginia has always had four friends:  God Almighty, Sears Roebuck, Carter's Liver Pills, and Robert C. Byrd.’ He is likely the last of his kind.”  

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