Take a look at the GoFundMe page to “Buy Pat Toomey’s Vote.”
When I googled, I found articles from many sources about the campaign, and a profile of the educator who started it.
She says to the few critics and skeptics who have complained, all the money raised will go to three charities:
Betsy DeVos has donated $55,800 to the campaign of United States Senator Pat Toomey.
Incidentally, despite all evidence to the contrary, Senator Toomey thinks that Betsy DeVos would be a great choice to lead the Department of Education.
Betsy DeVos has never set foot in a classroom, did not send her children to public school, cannot distinguish between proficiency and growth, and thinks that guns should be allowed in schools in the event of grizzly attacks. That fictitious grizzly is about as qualified as Ms. DeVos to run the Department of Education.
If Betsy DeVos can buy Senator Toomey’s vote, we should be allowed to do the same.
If, of course, Senator Toomey does not wish to accept any funds raised*, all money will be donated to Camp Sojourner, the Pennsylvania Arts Education Network, and the Children’s Literacy Initiative.
*or if this tongue-in-cheek fundraising page somehow constitutes a bribe, despite being eerily identical to the actions of Ms. DeVos.
** I’ve gotten enough emails about this that I suppose I have to spell this out: I am obviously not going to bribe an elected official, as that is illegal and immoral. This page is satire and all funds will go to the three PA educational charities listed above.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Devos said explicitly she expects something in return for her donations. How is that not bribery?
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You are right. It is bribery. She can give money to individuals who have supported past initiatives just like we might. We vote for candidates whose policies/ideas appeal to us. We can hope that a representative will continue to support policy with which we agree but our votes/money in no way buy any assurance of that hope. If you think about it, it appears that changing campaign finance laws has made bribery “legal.”
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Look at what billionaire Trump donor and supporter John Paulson bought with his 8.5 million donation to Success Academy.
And won’t American education be much better off when schools are beholden to right wing billionaires instead of parents?
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I, an underpaid public school teacher in Nashville, Tennessee, made a donation. How much? Over a week’s worth of cafeteria lunches. In my school district teachers have gotten a 3% pay raise in 10 years. I hope he listens to teachers. Not just billionaire donors with no experience in public ed.
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Toomey and other Republicans ought to be hanging their heads in shame. But they won’t since bowing down to the campaign money god –since Citizens United — is both their curse and ours. BTW, I suggest that all protestors carry signs with the names of their Senators and/or Congress-persons held high. Next to his/her name would be the dollar amount he/she was “bought” by De Voe. If our “representatives” see their names & $$ signs on each protest walk, that might improve their shamelessness quotient? Couldn’t hurt and it might help! JVK
PS: I nominate Wisconsin’s Ron Johnson, who has taken some $48,000. from education cabinet-candidate De Voe. So far, Ron has ignored any phone call or e-mail sent to him by me, but maybe, just maybe, if he sees HIS name on a dozen or so placards, he may feel the need to respond??? How do you plan to vote, Ron? Really? WHY???
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Here’s a good example of how and why Republican senators will ignore their constituents’ calls and messages. Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner blames it on “paid protesters”: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cory-gardner-paid-protesters-trump-calls_us_58937d6ee4b07595d05a5087
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Gardner’s research skills need some upgrades. His is a great excuse to ignore his constituents. Soon, these “servants of the people” will get trapped in their golden towers since they’ll get booed each time they appear to a general public. Of course, like Trumfp, they could pay supporters, but that news, like Trumfp’s near-treasonous remarks to O’Reilly, will further alienate everyone who has a grasp of the news. JVK
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