GOP Defectors Have Received Thousands From Teachers Union [Murkowski, Collins]

Washington Free Beacon ^ | 2/1/17 | Bill McMorris

[markomalley]

The two Republicans who broke ranks with their party and announced they would vote against education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos have received thousands of dollars from the nation's largest teachers union.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) and Susan Collins (R., Maine) have each benefited from contributions from the National Education Association. Collins received $2,000 from the union in 2002 and 2008, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Murkowski, meanwhile, has received $23,500.

The NEA represents 3 million members, making it the wealthiest and most influential union in the country. The NEA, along with other labor groups like the American Federation of Teachers, has waged a fierce campaign against DeVos, a billionaire philanthropist and school choice activist.

Teachers unions donate almost exclusively to Democrats. The NEA contributed $2.3 million to Democratic candidates in 2016, while Republican nominees received $350,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The top beneficiaries of union largesse have already voted against DeVos' nomination at the committee level. The union donated $740,000 to the 11 Democratic members of that committee—all 11 attempted to prevent the nomination from reaching the Senate floor.

Murkowski received a 100 percent rating on a 2012 NEA Report Card, while Collins received a 75 percent rating—the only Republicans to earn marks above 50 percent from the group. Each senator has earned straight-A marks from the union since 2014.

Murkowski has long been a favorite of teachers unions. She was one of only four Republican senators to receive contributions from the NEA in 2016, hauling in $10,000, while the other three Republicans received only $3,200. She received the NEA's endorsement in 2010 when she won as an independent candidate after losing the GOP primary, and received it again in 2016.

"Lisa Murkowski understands public education and is committed to Alaska’s students," NEA-Alaska President Tim Parker said in a release. "Her leadership and advocacy were critical to passing the Every Student Succeeds Act, which put Alaskans back in control of Alaska’s public schools. Alaska’s educators and Senator Murkowski share a passion for increased student learning and ensuring that every child has the opportunity for success, regardless of their zip code."

Murkowski, a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, voted Tuesday to bring DeVos to the Senate floor for a vote. Her vote was critical in the 12-11 party line vote. However, she said Wednesday she plans to join Collins and Democrats in opposing the nomination.

The two Republican defections imperil DeVos' nomination. Republicans have a 52-48 majority in the Senate, so one more no vote or abstention could sink her candidacy to lead the Department of Education. Republicans need to recruit a Democratic vote to give DeVos the 51 votes needed for confirmation, though Vice President Mike Pence could cast the deciding vote in the event of a 50-50 tie.

[Fedora]

The NEA represents 3 million members, making it the wealthiest and most influential union in the country. . .Teachers unions donate almost exclusively to Democrats. The NEA contributed $2.3 million to Democratic candidates in 2016, while Republican nominees received $350,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Somewhat of a tangent on this: during the election campaign, I noticed that one of Hillary's largest donors was the University of California system. I was trying to figure out why--could the NEA have funneled money through them?--anyone have insight into this?

[markomalley]

Somewhat of a tangent on this: during the election campaign, I noticed that one of Hillary's largest donors was the University of California system.

You mean the University of California system that has Janet Napolitano (a/k/a Big Sister) as president?

(In case you didn't notice, I just answered your question)

[kearnyirish2]

People think the teachers’ unions donate to the Democratic Party, but in fact they own it - it is their political arm. It is a perfect gig, by which those unions use their elected representatives to funnel taxpayer dollars into party coffers. They have commissars in EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT in the country.

Early in his presidency Obama would repeatedly call for more teachers; it fell flat when they realized the money was gone - they couldn’t squeeze anything else from a bankrupt middle class. Here in NJ those unions are the #1 reason nobody wants to buy a home, so those unions support open borders to let foreigners buy them (to pay the high property taxes - 75% of which goes to “schools”).

[Fedora]

Ah, thank you, that does help explain it! It raises another question, too: the University of California donated $1.37 billion to Hillary; Napolitano's net worth is $2 million--where did she and UC come up with that kind of money? This article poses the question but gives a generic answer: "Individuals from the UC raised more money than several large companies in the US, including many tech companies in Silicon Valley, another large source of funding for Clinton. Employees for the UC raised $1.37 billion for the Democratic nominee. Workers affiliated with Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, were second in financial contributions, coming in at $1.32 billion. 'At first blush, I’m surprised,' said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School, in an article published by the San Francisco Chronicle. 'People who work at UC make a lot less than people who work at Google or Alphabet, Inc., so in that sense it’s surprising, but you have to think about the size of the employer.'": University of California among largest source of donations to Clinton Yes, it's a big employer, but: $1.37 billion? If each of the 238,700 students in the UC system donated $100 to Hillary, that'd still only be $23.87 million. Napolitano must have some very big donors in her network to make up the difference between that and $1.37 billion. As I'm thinking about it, even the NEA only donated $1.572 million to the Democrats in 2016, so I guess that means my NEA/UC idea won't explain it, either. I just played another hunch and looked for a Soros connection--nothing definite, but I did find this: "Alexander Soros is pursuing a doctorate in modern European history at University of California at Berkeley." Soros Philanthropy: the Next Generation Seems like there must be someone with that kind of cash involved somewhere.

[Fedora]

Thanks; that’s an informative way to look at it. On a related note, a former FBI agent once told me that getting positions in school systems is a typical method the CP uses to infiltrate local governments.

[Liz]

Nice catch.......obviously they’re part of a cabal of bundlers.

This is laundered money.....must be huge in those circles....not to mention tax evasion.

[FroggyTheGremlim]

I repeat

Name	                Title	    Gross Salary	Benefits & Other Compensation	Total Compensation
RHONDA WEINGARTEN	PRESIDENT	$382,677	        $114,441	                 $497,118


Click here ...



 ... to see more Teacher Union Leader's salaries and perks.

[Liz]

The University of California is among the largest source of donations to Hillary Clinton....$1.37 billion. If each of the 238,700 students in the UC system donated $100 to Hillary, that'd still only be $23.87 million. Must be some very big donors to make up the difference between that and $1.37 billion. Is there a Soros connection? Alexander Soros is pursuing a doctorate in modern European history at University of California at Berkeley.

It is also possible that UofC, Napolitano, Soros and a cabal of donors, committed other federal and civil offenses including but not limited to:

<><> Title 18 U.S.C. §1341, Mail Fraud, 18 U.S.C.§1001, Presenting a False Document to an Agent of the US Government (involves several felonies and could include forgery);

<><> 18 U.S.C.§1027 False statements and concealment of facts in relation to documents required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and other possible offenses including civil and/or criminal RICO violations.

<><> 18 U.S.C. §§1961-68 (RICO Act)18 U.S.C. §1001 (making false Statements to Agents of the US Government),

<><> 18 U.S.C. §241(Conspiracies Against Civil Rights).

<><> Possibly full investigations crentering on RICO conspiracies under 18 U.S.C. §1962(c) could be warranted because (1) the persons (2) were employed by or associated with an enterprise (3) that engaged in or affected interstate commerce and that (4) the persons operated or managed the enterprise (5) through a "pattern"

(6) of racketeering activity, and (7) the taxpayers were injured by reason of the "pattern" of racketeering activity.

<><> Alleged Offenses could include Violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §241 – Conspiracy Against Constitutional Rights – which prohibits in relevant part, “two or more persons (from conspiring) to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same . . .” See, 18 U.S.C. §241.

Pres Trump must demand these agencies launch investigations of these activities at once:

<><> FBI -- Wire Fraud Division

<><> IRS-Fraud Unit

<><> Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General,

<><> Department of Commerce’s Office of Inspector General.

<><> DOJ's Criminal Division-- Public Integrity Section

<><> DOJ Criminal Division--Organized Crime and Gang Section.

=============================================

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[Elsie]

School vouchers from the Federal level would be welcomed.

NO money at the Fed level!

ELIMINATE the 'department'!!

Local Control - local money!!!

[Elsie]

Drag 2 Gs through a trailer court...

[Elsie]

Elliot Ness: pick up the white courtesy phone.

[Liz]

Oh yeah....lotsa hanky panky going on here.

[Labyrinthos]

School vouchers from the Federal level would be welcomed.

The feds should have nothing to do with education.

[John S Mosby]

Regularly meeting with Patty “tennis shoe” Murray as yet another cabal of the leftie education mafia, and.. Agenda 21 Common Core— which Betsy DeVos is tasked to dismantle (and perhaps oversea the elimination of the federal Dept. of Educ.)

[tsowellfan]

The NEA and liberals teachers are trying to flood the 2 Senators Twitter with “thank you”

https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=news&q=%40lisamurkowski&src=typd

https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=news&q=%40senatorcollins&src=tyah

Let the Senators know how you feel...

https://twitter.com/SenatorCollins

https://twitter.com/lisamurkowski

[Jacquerie]

No kidding. For minimal, cheap $, these two so much as sentence every poor kid in the US to horrible non-education. Murkowski is the worst, a horrible person made worse by too many years in the senate.

[Cen-Tejas]

.........most “whores” are doing what they have no choice to do if they want to eat and have a roof over their head.

The “politician” whores are far more despicable. They have choices and fat bank accounts and lots of influence and cushy retirement and medical. Just try and arrest one of them. Their “influence” will confront you immediately.

So, I think a lot more of “sexual whores” than “politician whores”.

[Fedora]

Thanks! $1.37 billion sure seems like a lot of money to waste on a campaign, especially when one of the candidates is proposing “free college tuition”. . .Speaking of wasting it, what did Hillary do with all that money anyway?

[Liz]

She had about 900 on her campaign staff....but you cant believe anything the Clintons say.......especially about money.

[Fedora]

If she paid each of those 900 people $50,000, that’d account for $45 million of $1.37 billion, so we’d only have close to $1 billion left to explain. . .