Booker and Betsy DeVos worked together on school choice. He just voted against her
WASHINGTON a As mayor of Newark, Cory Booker joined Betsy DeVos on the board of Alliance for School Choice, which advocated using taxpayer dollars for charter, private and religious schools.
He's known her for years.
But when DeVos was nominated to be U.S. secretary of education by President Donald Trump, Booker (D-N.J.) voted no.
DeVos was confirmed Tuesday, 51-50, when Vice President Mike Pence cast the deciding vote in favor of her nomination after two Senate Republicans joined Booker, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and every other Senate Democrat in opposing her.
"This year could potentially be one of the most difficult and challenging years in modern American history," U.S. Sen. Cory Booker said.
"I found many of her answers inadequate, unsatisfactory ... or just plain violative of what I believe a leader in that position should do," said Booker, who has taken a more visible role in opposing Trump and broke with tradition in testifying against the nomination of fellow U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) to be attorney general.
Despite their past history of working together, DeVos refused to meet with him, Booker said.
He said her hearing was rushed though so she couldn't properly be questioned, and was troubled by the answers she did give, such as refusing to rule out allowing guns in schools "to protect from potential grizzlies," and saying the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which is supposed to provide an appropriate education to students with disabilities, should be enforced by states.
"There are numerous things in her testimony that I found problematic and in Booker and Betsy DeVos worked together on school choice. He just voted against her. | NJ.com: