Betsy DeVos was asked during her Senate hearing whether her mother’s foundation had funded the anti-gay Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council.she claimed ignorance and insisted that her mother made her own decisions; besides, she insisted, she was not a member of the board of her mother’s foundation.
Interviewed on “Democracy Now,” Jeremy Scahill said that Betsy DeVos is listed as a vice-president of her mother’s foundation for several years. DeVos said it was “a clerical error.” Her mother was a founder of both organizations.
If I were a member of the DeVos family, I would hire a new accountant.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education and commented:
The really sad part of this process is that with a Republican majority she will get a rubber stamp approval. It won’t matter how many warts she has and how big they are…..She was nominated, therefore should be appointed.
The even sadder part is that the same thing was true of the Democratic Senators who gave Arne Duncan a rubber stamp approval.
They acted/sounded like Duncan was Jesus Christ himself sent by God to save the schools.
On education, at least, it makes absolutely no difference which party is in power.
You are correct.
According the the Senator questioning her, her name repeatedly appears on IRS tax forms as the VP of this Prince/DeVos organization. Certainly, as among the richest people on the planet, these Right Wingers would have the best accountants who do NOT make mistakes…so if their names appear on tax forms year after year, that is the fact.
One more Trumpist LIAR. I am disgusted with Lamar Alexander and Orrin Hatch, who kiss her magic golden ring and anoint her as leader of American education.
Are they under oath .
I think they are under oath. I hope they follow up, but suspect the Republicans won’t let them call her back to “clarify” why she lied about being on her mother’s board, the board that supports crackpot organizations like Focus on the Family (she was asked this question directly and claimed to know nothing about the organization or her mother’s foundation).
I think the Senate may be somewhat inconsistent about administering the oath. I vaguely recall some past controversies about that. Sen. Kaine said, during his questioning, that Devos wasn’t under oath, although he may have misspoken or have been thinking generally of the oath witnesses take in court proceedings.
The testimony of Ms. DeVos was not sworn. You can watch the entire hearing, and no one is sworn in.
Charles, that helps to explain why she lied.
“Shorn Testimony”
It wasn’t swarn
But sure was shorn
To keep her clear
Of public ear
But bear came in
And did her in
And Betsy’s toast
From coast to coast
Wasn’t sworn
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When B. Devos said “clerical error,” I wondered at her thinking anyone really believed that. She really does live in a fantasy world.
I think she meant bearical error.
Grizzly bears did it!
Horrendous!!
DeVos lied just like her future leader — Donnie Boy Trump. DeVos lies smiling just like Trump. Trump lied so many times he could not remember what was the truth and what was a lie. Donnie Boy still got elected. Truth does not count anymore. I guess if you donate millions to the party then the lies become white washed and disappear. What an example to set for our children.
When golden debutante Betsy lies, it affects ed policy. It is very serious, but it is not a life and death situation.
When tarnished golden boy “King” Tillerson lies as to how much Russian land mass has been purchased by Exxon Mobil (under his direction and negotiation) with Putin and the Russian oligarchs (see Rachel Maddow report), that can only be drilled to extract the oil for huge Exxon profits IF the US SANCTIONS on Russia are LIFTED, it could exacerbate the now Trumpian nuclear codes and monetary policy worldwide.
Putin and Tillerson have their plan to UNDO the sanctions and they are using (perhaps blackmailed) ignoramus Trump to achieve this, IMO. (Cheney and Rumsfeld did similar dirty work 30 years ago with their plan to steal Iraq’s oil, and it came to pass under Baby Bush, another ill informed and easily manipulated president…read McNamara’s book.)
With Russia and No. Korea now claiming to have their nuclear arsenals focused on the US….I hope all here lean as hard on getting rid of the unscrupulous Tillerson as we have on getting rid the moronic DeVos.
If she had any sense of shame, she’d withdraw her name over all the embarrassments — not knowing the federal disabilities act, not understanding growth vs. proficiency, not knowing her own foundations. But I think she’s too much of a Stepford donor to know how embarrassed she should be, and so we’ll have to suffer w her.
Moose, she is surrounded by sycophants who are telling her how fabulous she was. But does she read newspapers or watch TV, other than the DeVos-funded media?
One must have a conscience before one can demonstrate shame or remorse for one’s actions. A conscience is foreign to DeVos; therefore, she cannot demonstrate any shame for any action she has taken or failed to take. DeVos, like Trump, at least in their minds, cannot do any wrong or harm to others. It is noted that DeVos’ continued to smile like a cheshire cat while failing to answer the simplest questions. Again, lack of acknowledgement of her failings and lies.
DeVos said she would support “great” public schools. I think public school parents deserve some clarification on this.
She won’t support public schools that are not “great”?
How does she define “great”?
I think we need a head’s up on which of our public schools merit her approval and support. Will there be a list? Factors the public employees at the US Department of Education use to determine if they will offer “support”? The other schools, the non-great schools, those schools are just in the discard pile?
I know public schools are unfashionable in DC but now that federal support is conditioned on “greatness” they probably have to clarify.
There is no way this is a true statement. Every foundation of this size is required to submit annual reports to the IRS and provide documentation of its board of directors, its income, its dispersals, and the process of selecting areas for distribution. I do not find it credible that the lawyers and accountants who prepared these documents and the board of directors that reviewed and approved these documents NEVER verified the membership of the board of directors. It also seems strange that Ms. DeVos, who appeared to be familiar with the documents, had never noticed that her name was listed on the board of directors. She either does not pay attention to very important management details, or she lied about not knowing she was listed on the board of directors. Clerical error? Really? Either way, this is one more example of her lack of competence for this post.
I was trying to give her the benefit of doubt thinking maybe the “Elisabeth” was her daughter. But then I googled the address and it came up with a fairly modest looking house. Problem was google is off. If you scroll to the end of the block you will find this.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/1170+Fox+Hollow+Ave+SE,+Ada,+MI+49301/@42.9436564,-85.5067623,20z/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x881851ef0511a205:0x8e18cf95728a3918
Tried to do property search in Grand Rapids and it didn’t come up because the property is technically in Ada.
Did search in Ada and: https://is.bsasoftware.com/bsa.is/AssessingServices/ServiceAssessingDetails.aspx?dp=41-15-33-300-053&i=1&sna=Fox+Hollow&appid=0&actSn=1170&actSna=FOX+HOLLOW+AVE+SE&unit=494
Scroll a little further out and you will see the airport they fly their private jets and home to
“The West Michigan Aviation Academy is a tuition-free public charter high school founded by Dick DeVos upon encouragement from wife, Betsy.”
I also noticed a public school down the block from her. Wonder if she has ever step foot in it – probably not.