(born December 16, 1940) is an American politician from the state of Alabama.
A member of the Democratic Party, Rogers serves in the Alabama House of Representatives, representing the 52nd district.Rogers has a bachelor's degree from Tennessee State University, a master's degree from the University of Alabama, and an associate's degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Rogers is personally opposed to abortion, but represents a pro-choice district and votes accordingly.
On May 1, 2019 Representative Rogers, during a filibuster in opposition to a bill, designed as a challenge to Roe v.
Wade, that would make performing or attempting to perform an abortion in Alabama a felony:
“Some children are just unwanted.
You either kill them now or you kill them later in the electric chair.”
“Some parents can’t handle a child with problems.
It could be retarded.
It might have no arms and no legs.”
Rogers' comments were widely decried in the media, by conservative pundits, and by the Alabama House Democratic Caucus.
Senator Doug Jones, a friend of Rogers', called him to let him know that the comments were hurtful and that he would condemn them publicly.Also criticised by Donald Trump Jr, Rogers stated the following day, May 2, 2019 that Trump should have been aborted and that there is something wrong with the president's son.
Rogers later apologized for using the word "retarded".