Democrats in the Senate say that Betsy Devos’ hearing should be delayed because she has not completed her financial disclosure, which is required of all Cabinet appointments. Presumably, she has an accountant.
Democrats are pushing to delay Betsy DeVos’ confirmation hearing next Wednesdaybecause the billionaire philanthropist’s finances haven’t yet been cleared by ethics officials, nor has she signed an agreement addressing possible conflicts of interest.
Sen. Patty Murray, the committee’s top Democrat, says that she’s concerned about the “extensive financial entanglements and potential conflicts of interest” of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Education secretary.
An aide to Murray told POLITICO that “it would certainly be concerning if nominees break from standard practice and don’t submit their ethics paperwork in advance of a hearing.”
Although DeVos submitted her financial disclosures to the Office of Government Ethics on Dec. 12, she is still in discussions to finalize the paperwork and sign an agreement addressing possible conflicts of interest, according to her spokesman, Ed Patru.
The ethics office, in coordination with the Education Department, is responsible for identifying any conflicts of interest that DeVos might have and striking an agreement with her to recuse herself from certain decisions to avoid future conflicts.
Senate HELP Chairman Lamar Alexander indicated he plans to move ahead with the Jan. 11hearing, regardless of whether the paperwork is finalized. Committee rules don’t require the ethics office to clear a nominee’s finances and sign an ethics agreement before a hearing. But Alexander will require those things before holding a committee vote, an aide said.
“Our committee is going to follow the Golden Rule and use the same procedures for these nominees that we did in 2001 for President Bush’s nominees and in 2009 for President Obama’s nominees,” Alexander said in a statement to POLITICO.
Democrats dispute that the committee is following the same practice, saying the ethics review of President Barack Obama’s Cabinet nominees was generally completed prior to any confirmation hearing. They argue that government ethics officials’ vetting of DeVos should be completed before her hearing.
“Confirmation hearings shouldn’t be held until senators have essential and required information on a nominee,” said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), a member of the committee. “Required financial disclosures and a nominee’s ethics letter go to their basic fitness to serve.”
“The Trump administration may be conducting a slipshod vetting process, but the United States Senate should not,” Whitehouse added. “The majority’s conduct ramming and stacking these hearings for unvetted nominees is unprecedented.”
Four members of the Senate HELP committee have received campaign contributions from Billionaire Betsy. They should recuse themselves.
The gall, effrontery and the chutzpah of the GOP is off the charts. The GOP shamelessly and in an unprecedented manner blocked Obama’s SCOTUS nominee from even having a hearing. Now they want to ram through all their deplorables without full vetting first. Lamar Alexander said: “Our committee is going to follow the Golden Rule……” Exactly, those with the gold (gold plated toilets) will be ruling.
Joe,
Right on!
Is it possible that DeVos and Trump use the same accountant, who also works for organized crime and other tax cheats?
The DeVos family will continue to make it rain for elected officials even after one of them gets her investments paid back with a (seemingly inevitable) cabinet confirmation. Democracy will continue to receive its thousand cuts and die. The rich think they can rule better without it. I’m sure if you don’t like it, you will be provided a dislike button you can click to voice your feelings for the human capital database. Obey.
DeVos doesn’t want more money.
She wants all children in religious schools, preferably evangelical.
For the sake of God’s Kingdom, which only she knows.
The billionaire class is united in their desire for control over the filthy, dangerous masses. That’s all they want. There are various ways of maintaining control over the populace (religion, debt, etc.) and having an educated, independently free thinking public flies in the face all of those ways.
DeVos has not completed her homework assignment. What a bad, bad precedent for the nation’s children!
Maybe she feels that since her whacko boss tRump got away with the stall and not showing his taxes, she can drag her feet until Congress gives in and she won’t have to show her ill gotten gains from Amway. And the rest of the despicable motley crew will all do the same. Why aren’t we hearing from Loretta Lynch since she is still the AG? Why aren;t we hearing from Schumer and Pelosi who lead the Dems? Why aren’t we hearing from Lopez and Ellison who are vying to lead the DNC? Why isn’t the media demanding answers? Have they all decided to accept that this is now The New Normal?
Ellen,
In the Age of #Putinspuppet, there are no ethical standards
You raise many good points Ellen. It is probably part of Kingdom gain.