By: Caitlin Huey-Burns
Democrats are also putting pressure on DeVos, Trump’s choice to head the Education Department. A group of Democratic senators has called on her to pay $5 million in election-related fines owed by her school-choice advocacy group, All Children Matter. Additionally, the pro-campaign finance reform groups End Citizens United and Every Voice are calling on Republican senators on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which will vet her nomination, to recuse themselves for having received campaign contributions from the DeVos family.
But Republicans have risen to her defense. In a Washington Post op-ed, Mitt Romney wrote, “I am truly excited that someone of Betsy DeVos’s capability, dedication and absence of financial bias is willing to take an honest and open look at our schools.”
Republicans characterize Democratic opposition to Trump’s choices as playing politics, and most doubt that nominees will run into much trouble. Republican leaders also note that senators have been inclined to come around to the nominees after meeting with them. Trump’s picks made their rounds on Capitol Hill last week. Several lawmakers commented on positive meetings with Tillerson.