Pence Breaks Senate Tie To Confirm DeVos As Education Secretary

WASHINGTON (KDKA/AP) - The Senate has confirmed school choice activist Betsy DeVos as Education secretary, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking a 50-50 tie.

The Senate historian says it was the first time a vice president had to break a tie on a Cabinet nomination.

Two Republicans joined Democrats Tuesday to vote to derail DeVos' nomination. Democrats cited her lack of public school experience and financial interests in organizations pushing charter schools. DeVos has said she would divest herself from those organizations.

Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska fear that DeVos' focus on charter schools will undermine remote public schools in their states.

In an earlier tweet, President Donald Trump wrote "Betsy DeVos is a reformer, and she is going to be a great Education Sec. for our kids!"

DeVos is a wealthy GOP donor who has devoted herself to boosting alternatives to public education, sparking concerns among educators that she won't be a strong champion for the nation's public school systems.

Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania spent approximately 45 minutes starting at 12 midnight, explaining why he would not vote in favor of DeVos' nomination.

"The principal reason for that are her views on public education, and what I view as her lack of commitment to public education and what that would mean for the country."

Sen. Casey said his office has been flooded with people who oppose DeVos' nomination.

"I've heard from people across my state, urban and rural, suburban, democrats, republicans - all kinds of people who have spoken with one voice against this nomination."

Earlier, Sen. Casey addressed demonstrators outside the U.S. Capitol.

Thank you all for your support. I'll be up all night working to get "just one more" republican to vote against Betsy DeVos. pic.twitter.com/SUWHrc5zZM

— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) February 7, 2017

Last week, Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania released a statement in which he said he would vote to confirm DeVos.

"I am pleased to vote to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education," said Sen. Toomey. "Betsy DeVos has spent nearly three decades of her life, tens of millions of dollars, and considerable personal energy toward one noble goal: ensuring that poor children trapped in failing schools have the same opportunities that wealthy and middle class kids already have.

Meanwhile, a Philadelphia teacher, who opposes the confirmation of DeVos, has raised more than $70,000 for education charities in the state.

The teacher's goal was to raise the same amount of money the DeVos family fund donated to Sen. Toomey's re-election campaign.

DeVos' nomination is controversial because of her support for charter schools and tuition vouchers using public funds.

"I started a fundraising campaign called Buy Sen. Toomey's vote," Katherine Fritz said. "I'm not planning to actually bribe the senator. What I'm doing is raising money for a series of education charities in Philadelphia and in Pennsylvania that benefit our area school children, but I'm doing so in a satirical, broad, funny way."

Fritz set up a Go Fund Me account with a goal of raising $55,800, which is the amount the DeVos family fund donated to Sen. Toomey's re-election campaign.

In just one day, more than $38,000 had been donated.

The senator reacted to the news on a Philadelphia radio show last week.

"(Laughs). Oh, that's funny. Listen, I give her credit for the humor value," Sen. Toomey said.

Fritz says there is a serious side to her satire

"Maybe we should be paying more attention to where our money is going with our politics," she said.

Receiving campaign contributions from nominees and their organizations is quite common on both sides or the aisle.

Former president Barack Obama's treasury, commerce and EPA secretaries all donated cash toward his re-election campaign.

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