DeVos Fight Clogs Senate Phones as Confirmation Vote Nears
- Voucher-advocate DeVos to get vote Tuesday on Education post
- Vice President Pence expected to cast the tie-breaking vote
Betsy DeVos, secretary of education nominee for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, speaks during a Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017.
Photographer: Zach Gibson/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
A number of President Donald Trump’s nominees have drawn objections from Senate Democrats and the public, yet his choice of Betsy DeVos to lead the Education Department is stirring a surprisingly intense outcry.
Senate mailboxes, e-mail accounts and phone lines are jammed with messages and calls, part of a significant backlash against her nomination. The chamber is expected to vote on her confirmation Tuesday, and it’s expected to be so close that Vice President Mike Pence will have to cast his first tie-breaking vote.