Press Releases

Watchdogs: Senators Vote For Big Donor Betsy DeVos, Despite Constituent Calls For Recusal

Feb 07, 2017

Grassroots campaign flooded Senate with calls and pressured senators with DeVos donations to recuse themselves


Washington, D.C. — Money-in-politics reform groups Every Voice and End Citizens United criticized senators for confirming Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary, despite constituent demands that senators with donations from the DeVos family recuse themselves from voting on her nomination to avoid conflicts of interest.

A total of 23 senators have received nearly $1 million in contributions from DeVos and her family, according to FEC reports. The tie-breaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence – something that’s never previously occurred on a cabinet secretary confirmation vote – also came with its own conflicts of interest. The DeVos family gave $26,000 in contributions to support Pence’s runs for Congress and Governor and $545,000 to boost the Trump-Pence presidential campaign.

“Betsy DeVos once bragged about using political contributions to get something in return, and the Senate just provided DeVos the return on her investment: her inexperienced hands on the wheel of our nation’s education policy,” said David Donnelly, president and CEO of Every Voice. “Concerned constituents rose up during this confirmation process to voice loud and clear their concerns and to demand that Betsy DeVos receive the scrutiny this high-ranking government job deserves, in spite of her role as a big donor. People are fed up with a government that rewards wealthy donors, and that anger will not recede.”

“Tens of thousands of Americans spoke out and told their senators that they don’t want a government up for sale to the highest bidder,” said Tiffany Muller, Executive Director at End Citizens United. “They’re tired of a rigged system where mega-donors can buy access, influence, and even cabinet appointments.  This vote will further motivate people across the country to take action. Our grassroots members will fight even harder to fix our broken campaign finance system and restore the power in our democracy to the people.”

Ahead of the vote today, grassroots pressure mounted for senators who took money from DeVos and her family to recuse themselves:

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