Robert C. Byrd's Earmarks: A Video Report on West Virginia Pork

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Some budget watchers nicknamed Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) the "King of Pork." Other people say he improved the quality of life for thousands of West Virginians by landing federal earmarks for his home state.

The late senator was unapologetic about the billions of federal dollars that he brought to West Virginia -- one of the poorest states in the nation. In fact, he was proud of his porky ways, famously saying in 2000, "West Virginia has always had four friends: God Almighty, Sears Roebuck, Carter's Liver Pills and Robert C. Byrd."

Byrd died June 28. Carte Goodwin was sworn in Tuesday as his successor and is expected to resign after a special election in November to fill the remaining two years in Byrd's term.

Click "play" below to watch a video report:

Filed Under: Senate, Economy, Budget, Congress

Tagged: earmarks, King of Pork, Robert Byrd, west virginia

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Stephen Rule

Robert C. Byrd Greatest Senator West Virginia has ever known.
Senator Byrd was my friend. I personally knew him and visited
with him in Sophia West Virginia home when I was working in the
VA Medical Center just up the four lane in Beckley.
We had Breakfast one morning in Crab Orchard and I never forget
the time my wife and son visited him in DC I still have the photo
he sent me. No one will ever replace Robert C. Byrd.
God Bless Robert C. Byrd and The State of West Virginia

Stephen Rule

Saint Marys, West Virginia

July 20 2010 at 9:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

DICK ABBOTT

ROBERT BYRD WASN'T PERFECT BUT,IN THE END ALTHOUGH HE GOT OLDER AND WEARIER,HE DID SEE THE LIGHT ON HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL RACES AND THE USELESSNESS OF WARS TO NOWHERE. GOD SPEED ROBERT AND FIND YOUR PEACE YOU RICHLY DESERVE. SINCERELY DICK ABBOTT,MASHPEE,MASS.

July 20 2010 at 7:41 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply

dc walker

This was what was wrong with congress and why we are in so much debt. They took taxpayer money from all over the country that was not signed off by a president for their perks. This happened last December with the health care bill $10billion payment for votes for the health care. We get the government we deserve if we don't vote out the antiques in the congress.

July 20 2010 at 7:01 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply

drb107

I'm sorry, but this West Virginian doesn't see Byrd that way, take a trip to the southern coalfields, counties like Wyoming, Mingo, Logan, Boone, etc, you will see enormous poverty, but these counties are heavily democratic and always will be, no matter who runs for office. These counties I mentioned also don't have any highways at all, 2 lane curvy roads, and this has been going on for as long as WV has been a state. May Byrd rest in peace, but he did nothing for these counties that supported him.

July 20 2010 at 6:59 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

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