The pressure to stop Trump’s billionaire nominee for Secretary of Education from being confirmed is working. Two Republican senators, Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), just announced that they will oppose Betsy DeVos’ confirmation.
That means that we’re just ONE vote short from blocking DeVos’ confirmation altogether. We need to keep up the pressure more than ever to sway one more senator to vote against DeVos.
There’s no time to waste. The full Senate will take a final vote on DeVos on Tuesday. If you live in Arizona, Kansas, Ohio, Nebraska, Nevada, Pennsylvania or West Virginia –your senator is undecided. Please make a call ASAP to their office to encourage them to #DumpDeVos.
Call 1-855-882-6229 to get connected to your senator’s Washington, D.C. office or check below for district office phone numbers for your senator.
Alaska Senator Daniel SullivanDC: (202) 224-3004
Anchorage: (907) 271-5915
Fairbanks: (907) 456-0261
Juneau: (907) 586-7277
Wasilla: (907) 357-9956
Kenai: (907) 283-4000
Ketchikan: (907) 225-6880
Arizona Senator Jeff Flake
DC: (202) 224-4521
Phoenix: (602) 840-1891
Tucson: (520) 575-8633
Arizona Senator John McCain
DC: (202) 224-2235
Phoenix: (602) 952-2410
Prescott: (928) 445-0833
Tucson: (520) 670-6334
Colorado Senator Cory Gardner
DC: (202) 224-5941
Pueblo: (719) 543-1324
Colorado Springs: (719) 632-6706
Denver: (303) 391-5777
Grand Junction: (970) 245-9553
Greeley: (970) 352-5546
Fort Collins: (970) 484-3502
Yuma: (970) 848-3095
Kansas Senator Jerry Moran
DC: (202) 224-6521
Hays: (785) 628-6401
Manhattan: (785) 539-8973
Pittsburg: (620) 232-2286
Wichita: (316) 631-1410
Olathe: (913) 393-0711
Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer
DC: (202) 224-6551
Kearney: (308) 234-2361
Lincoln: (402) 441-4600
Norfolk: (402) 200-8816
Omaha: (402) 391-3411
Scottsbluff: (308) 630-2329
Nevada Senator Dean Heller
DC: (202) 224-6244
Reno: (775) 686-5770
Las Vegas: (702) 388-6605
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis
DC: (202) 224-6342
Charlotte: (704) 509-9087
Greenville: (252) 329-0371
Hendersonville: (828) 693-8750
High Point: (336) 885-0685
Raleigh: (919) 856-4630
North Dakota Senator John Hoeven
DC: (202) 224-2551
Bismark: (701) 250-4618
Fargo: (701) 239-5389
Grand Forks: (701) 746-8972
Minot: (701) 838-1361
Williston: (701) 580-4535
Ohio Senator Rob Portman
DC: (202) 224-3353
Columbus: (614) 469-6774
Cincinnati: (513) 684-3265
Cleveland: (216) 522-7095
Toledo: (419) 259-3895
Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey
DC: (202) 224-4254
Allentown: (610) 434-1444
Erie: (814) 453-3010
Harrisburg: (717) 782-3951
Philadelphia: (215) 241-1090
Pittsburgh: (412) 803-3501
Scranton: (570) 941-3540
Johnstown: (814) 266-5970
West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito
DC: (202) 224-6472
Charlestown: (304) 347-5372
Martinsburg: (304) 262-9285
Morgantown: (304) 292-2310
Beckley: (304) 347-5372
Here’s a sample script for your call:
Hi, my name is (NAME). As a concerned constituent from (YOUR STATE), I urge the senator to oppose Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos. Her confirmation hearing proved that she lacks both the experience and qualifications to lead the Department of Education. She should not be put in charge of students and our schools. She has zero experience with public education, and spent millions dismantling and defunding public schools. Students deserve better. We need a Secretary of Education who will help to improve success for all students, including creating more opportunities and equity for all. Thanks for taking my call.
DeVos, a billionaire lobbyist, and political donor, has zero experience with public schools – not as an educator, a school board member, a student, or even as a parent – and has spent her career defunding and dismantling public education. DeVos bankrolled and lobbied for failed schemes like voucher programs, which take money away from public schools to fund private schools at taxpayers’ expense, and with little to no accountability. She designed Detroit’s failed charter school program, which harmed already vulnerable students. DeVos even lacks experience in higher education and holds controversial positions on students with disabilities and student loans.
If you agree we need an experienced, highly qualified Secretary of Education who actually wants to improve success for ALL students and invest in public schools, raise your voice with us now!
The numbers that I called for Senator Tillis to voice my opposition to DeVos, were busy. I was only able to leave a voicemail at the D.C. number.
Here is an argument that is not based
on the fact that she is unqualified for the position; rather, it is
based on the fact that she is morally unfit for an executive
position. Ms DeVos led a group that broke Oho law. Voting for
her means voting to give a cabinet post to an unrepentant
lawbreaker.
Major Premise:Unrepentant lawbreakers should not
be given cabinet posts.
Minor Premise: Betsy DeVos is an
unrepentant lawbreaker. *
Conclusion: Betsy DeVos should not
be given a cabinet post.
*Evidence of the truth of the minor
premise:
All Children Matter Inc. was directed
by Ms. Betsy DeVos. This PAC willfully violated Ohio election law
after being informed of its provisions. Ms. DeVos and her group knew
the law. They were informed of its provisions by the Ohio Election
Commission. The group she led then willfully chose to break the law
in 2006. In 2008, the bipartisan Ohio Elections Commission voted 5-0
that the PAC led by Ms. DeVos had violated Ohio election law, and
imposed a fine. In 2010 he group she led challenged the ruling of the
Ohio Elections Commission in the Franklin County Court of Appeals.
The court denied the appeal and upheld the fine the commission had
imposed for breaking Ohio law. She and her group tried to appeal
that ruling, but the Ohio Supreme Court refused to hear the case. In
2012 the Ohio Attorney General went to court in an attempt to collect
the fines Ms. DeVos’ group owed for breaking Ohio law. Franklin
County Common Pleas Court Judge Daniel T. Hogan gave judgment
ordering the PAC Ms. DeVos was in charge of to pay the fines it owed
for breaking Ohio law. He also ordered that the amount of the fine be
increased by $25 a day from Oct. 26, 2006, until the judgment for
breaking Ohio law was paid.. The lawbreaking organization Ms. DeVos
headed has refused to pay the fines it owes to the state of Ohio.
Betsey DeVos cannot be held personally responsible for paying to the
state of Ohio the fines owed by the lawbreaking organization she
led, but she must be held morally responsible for their lawbreaking,
and for guiding them in their evasion of taking responsibility and
paying the penalty imposed for breaking Ohio law.