U.S. Sens. Tom Udall, Jeff Merkley, Sherrod Brown, Edward J. Markey, and Bernie Sanders write President-elect Trump's nominee for Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, asking her to ensure her PAC repays a $5 million fine for campaign violations in Ohio.
U.S. Sens. Tom Udall, Jeff Merkley, Sherrod Brown, Edward J. Markey, and Bernie Sanders write President-elect Trump's nominee for Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, asking her to ensure her PAC repays a $5 million fine for campaign violations in Ohio.
U.S. Sens. Tom Udall, Jeff Merkley, Sherrod Brown, Edward J. Markey, and Bernie Sanders write President-elect Trump's nominee for Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, asking her to ensure her PAC repays a $5 million fine for campaign violations in Ohio.
Wnited States Senate
WASHINGTON, DC 20510
December 12, 2016
Betsy DeVos
Secretary-Designate, U.S. Department of Education
‘Trump-Pence Transition Team
1717 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Dear Secretary-Designate DeVos:
‘We are writing to express significant concerns about the failure of the All Children Matter
Political Action Committee (PAC) to pay Ohio $5.3 million in fines and late fees for violating
the state’s campaign finance laws. At the time of the violations, you were the head of the
organization, and you and your husband were one of the PAC’s biggest contributors.
In 2006, the federal All Children Matter PAC sought an advisory opinion from the Ohio
Elections Commission to determine whether it was allowed to contribute more than the $10,000
statutory limit to its Ohio based affiliate. The Commission provided an advisory opinion stating
that aggregate contributions of greater than $10,000 in a year to the Ohio affiliate would violate
the law. Inexplicably, your PAC ignored this advisory opinion and proceeded to contribute
$870,000 to the Ohio affiliate.
‘The bipartisan Ohio Elections Commission unanimously found both the federal and Ohio All
Children Matter PACs to have violated the state’s campaign finance laws and imposed fines of
$5.2 million, An Ohio court subsequently upheld the fine and imposed additional late fees for
failing to pay. Rather than pay the fines for violating the law, the All Children Matter PACS
simply ceased operation and never paid the significant sum it owed to the state of Ohio,
‘The blatant disregard for the law that your PAC demonstrated is deeply troubling. However,
when the organization’s violations of law were punished by the Ohio Elections Commission, the
PAC’s refusal to take responsibility and pay the fines is unconscionable
If confirmed as Secretary of Education, you would be responsible for administering our nation’s
student loan programs and ensuring that borrowers repay their loans in a timely manner.
However, the PAC that you chaired failed to pay fines that were imposed on it over eight years
ago. This demonstrates a serious lack of judgment by the PAC’s board and a willingness to avoid
paying legally obligated public debts.Prior to your confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions, we request that you take the necessary steps to ensure payment of all fines
and penalties imposed on the All Children Matter PACs by the Ohio Elections Commission and
the state courts.
We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Tom Udall Jeffrey A. Merkley
United States Senator United States Senator
Sherrod Brown Edward J. Markey
United States Senator United States Senator
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