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This story originally was published by Real Clear Wire.
By Jeremy Portnoy
Topline: Nearly every university relies on donations from its former students, but those with alumni in the Senate can solicit money straight from taxpayers’ wallets.
Twenty-four U.S. senators requested earmarks in the 2026 federal budget for the colleges they attended as students, totaling $614 million, according to Open the Books’ audit of congressional disclosures.
Some of the earmarks have been removed during congressional debate, but others will make their way into the final appropriations bill Congress must pass before Jan. 31 to avoid another government shutdown.
Key facts: The 125 earmarks are spread across 21 states.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) stands out with $165 million in requests, far more than any other senator. McConnell once supported a complete ban on earmarks but has recently become one of the GOP’s most pork-hungry senators, with 60 requests filed this year.
McConnell asked for four earmarks worth $100 million for the University of Louisville, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1964, and three earmarks worth $65 million for the University of Kentucky, where he graduated law school. Some of the money would be used to build “state-of-the art” research facilities and buy “high-end” lab equipment.
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) requested the second most money with $60 million for the University of Kansas and its hospital.
Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV) asked for nine separate earmarks totaling $57.5 million for Marshall University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree and Master of Business Administration.
Justice, once the richest man in West Virginia according to Forbes, previously donated $5 million of his own money to Marshall University. Today he has a net worth of “less than zero,” per Forbes, because of crippling debt and liabilities.
He has spent the last few years funneling government funds to Marshall University instead of using his personal wealth. As governor of West Virginia, he gave the school $45 million for a cybersecurity program and $14 million for a baseball stadium.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) was the fourth and final senator requesting more than $50 million for their alma mater. She’s trying to secure funds to help Washington State University perform “construction and facility upgrades.”
There were an additional eight senators who requested at least $10 million for their alma maters.
The 2025 federal budget contained $121 million of earmarks for House members’ alma maters.
Search all federal, state and local salaries and vendor spending with the world’s largest government spending database at OpenTheBooks.com.
Summary: New regulations have decreased conflicts of interest in earmark spending, but politicians can still send money to universities and other organizations where they have personal ties.
The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com
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