Betsy DeVos and her family have contributed millions of dollars to Republican campaigns, with sitting Republican senators receiving $115, 000 from Betsy DeVos herself and more than $950, 000 from the full DeVos clan since 1980. In the past two election cycles alone, the DeVos family contributed just short of $25 million – $12. 7 million in the 2020 elections and $12 million in the 2022 elections. Since 1989, Betsy DeVos and her relatives have given at least $20. 2 million to Republican candidates, party committees, PACs, and super PACs, according to an OpenSecrets. org analysis.
DeVos and her family are among the most generous philanthropists in the nation, ranking 20th on Forbes’ annual list of the nation’s Top 50 givers. Forbes has zeroed in on the root of the DeVos family fortune, Amway, to come up with what we believe is the most realistic estimate of the size of her fortune published so far. Together, Betsy Members of the Cotton family, which created Detroit-based Meridian Health Plan, a huge health maintenance organization with hundreds of thousands of members in Michigan and across the Midwest, have DeVos, whose father founded a manufacturing company that came to be worth more than $1 billion and whose father-in-law co-founded Amway, wasn’t able to recall how.
During her confirmation hearing, Bernie Sanders asked Betsy DeVos how much money her family donated to Republicans over the years. Betsy DeVos said she wish she could give you that number, but her hearing was an opportunity for Democrats to nonetheless point out that DeVos’s donations to the Republican Party at least have the potential to have a significant impact.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Watch: Bernie Sanders asks Betsy DeVos the $200 million … | But her hearing was an opportunity for Democrats to nonetheless point out that DeVos’s donations to the Republican Party at least have the … | vox.com |
| Bernie Sanders and senators urge Betsy DeVos to pay … | Politico reports that the letter, signed by independent Vermont senator Mr Sanders and four democratic senators, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Jeff … | independent.co.uk |
📹 Exchange between Sen. Bernie Sanders and Betsy DeVos (C-SPAN)
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders asks Education Secretary Nominee Betsy DeVos: “Do think if you were not a multimillionaire, …
How Much Is Betsy DeVos Worth?
Betsy DeVos, the former US Secretary of Education from 2017 to 2021, holds a net worth estimated at around $2 billion, primarily derived from Amway stock and shared with her husband, Dick DeVos, and their four adult children. This positions her as the wealthiest member of Donald Trump's cabinet, with her family's wealth often cited at $5 billion. The DeVoses' fortune is traced back to the late 1990s and early 2000s through Securities and Exchange Commission filings related to Amway's Asia-Pacific subsidiary.
Betsy DeVos is not only a politician but also an active philanthropist and significant GOP donor. Reports indicate that during her tenure, she earned substantial outside income, potentially exceeding $100 million. The family also has notable investments, including a significant stake in the Orlando Magic basketball team and interests in yachting. DeVos, married to the son of Amway co-founder Richard DeVos, has made considerable contributions to Republican causes over the years. Amid her wealth and influence, her financial disclosures highlight the interconnectedness of her wealth, investments, and political affiliations.
How Did Dick DeVos Get Rich?
Dick DeVos led Amway as president from 1993 to 2002, succeeding his father, co-founder Rich DeVos. The DeVos and Van Andel families maintain equal ownership of the company, significantly enriching the DeVos family. Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel founded Amway in 1959, transforming it from a modest soap business into a global direct-selling giant operating in over 50 countries. In 1991, Rich purchased the NBA's Orlando Magic for $85 million; the team is now valued at nearly $1.
2 billion. Betsy DeVos, Dick's wife, comes from a wealthy family with an estimated net worth of $5. 7 billion, largely from the DeVos family fortune. The couple has contributed over $20 million to Republican political causes. Betsy also serves as U. S. Secretary of Education, reinforcing their political influence. Richard DeVos built his wealth through his entrepreneurial efforts with Amway, reflecting his father’s belief in business ownership as a path to freedom.
The DeVoses are noted for their philanthropic efforts, including support for educational institutions and conservative causes. Following his tenure at Alticor, Dick became president of the Windquest Group, an investment management firm. The DeVos family's legacy continues as they are recognized among the wealthiest and most influential in the U. S.
Did The DeVos Family Disclose Their Contributions?
Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander affirmed that Betsy DeVos and her family's political donations were legally made and fully disclosed. In the lead-up to DeVos's confirmation hearing, the Senate HELP committee required her to reveal political contributions over $200 from the past five years. The DeVos family notably contributed $46, 200 to Michigan GOP candidate Mike Rogers. Their significant political contributions, especially to conservative candidates and causes, have drawn both attention and criticism.
In 1997, DeVos articulated her family's expectation of reciprocity from their donations to conservative causes. By 2016, the family reportedly spent around $14 million on political contributions. In 2000, their business, RDV Corporation, lent $200 million to a healthcare firm, indicating their substantial financial influence. Despite DeVos's move to refrain from political contributions after becoming Education Secretary, her family's donations continued.
They are recognized as key players in the Republican Party, shaping political agendas and supporting far-right candidates. Federal records show her husband, Richard "Dick" DeVos Jr., remains actively involved in political donations, even as Betsy DeVos steps back from that role.
How Much Has Betsy DeVos Given To GOP Candidates?
Betsy DeVos and her relatives have significantly contributed to Republican political campaigns, amassing at least $20. 2 million since 1989, with over $10 million given during the 2016 election cycle alone. Sitting Republican senators have received $115, 000 from Betsy DeVos, while the broader DeVos family has donated more than $950, 000 since 1980. During her tenure as President Trump's education secretary, the DeVos family contributed $1 million to a political action committee supporting GOP gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon.
In a recent inquiry about her family's total donations to Republican campaigns, Betsy DeVos stated she didn't know the exact figure, despite it being significant. Records indicate that Betsy and six family members collectively donated $70, 000 to the state party in June. Over the years, the DeVos family has made substantial contributions to Republican candidates and political committees, totaling over $17 million as per the Federal Election Commission. Betsy DeVos personally contributed nearly $2. 7 million to various political causes and candidates in the past two decades, underscoring the family's influential role within the Republican Party.
How Much Money Did DeVos Give To Toomey?
Senator Pat Toomey has received considerable financial backing from Betsy DeVos and her family, totaling $60, 050 during his political career. This support was particularly evident in his successful 2016 re-election campaign, which was bolstered by two super PACs funded by DeVos contributions. The DeVos family has historically contributed millions to Republican candidates, with an estimated $20. 2 million since 1989. On February 7, 2017, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as Secretary of Education under President Trump, following scrutiny over her family's political donations.
In response to DeVos's previous donations, Katherine Fritz initiated a GoFundMe campaign titled "Buy Pat Toomey’s Vote," humorously aiming to match the $55, 800 DeVos had donated to Toomey, ultimately raising over $35, 000 from more than 2, 000 donors. Betsy DeVos has acknowledged that her family's total donations to Republican causes may reach $200 million, although she couldn't provide an exact figure. With a net worth of $5.
1 billion, DeVos's contributions illustrate the significant influence of wealthy donors in political campaigns. Toomey's vote in favor of DeVos's confirmation has sparked discussions regarding the intersection of monetary support and political decisions.
📹 Bernie Sanders Questions Betsy DeVos: Would you be here without contributions? ABC News
Betsy DeVos Confirmation Hearing for Education Secretary Sen. Bernie Sanders: “My question is, and I don’t mean to be rude, …
You can’t take people that have never known struggle and have never even spoken to anyone that has struggled and put them in charge and expect them to understand what needs to be done in order to help. It takes people that have actually been in the bottom 99% and spoken to people of all backgrounds to issue change that will actually be beneficial to the percentage of people and not just the top 1%. Betsy doesn’t care about anyone but herself, she doesn’t know how to.
How I love Bernie. I don’t know how he, Warren, Franken, Kaine, and Murphy, have held themselves together as they have. During the line of questioning from those 5 Senators (those are the only ones I have seen so far) I was yelling at that horrid DeVos creature. I had read about DeVos and the havoc that she and her Amway billions wreaked on the state of Michigan, but I had never actually seen or heard her talk until this hearing—her perpetual smirk alone is enough to piss a person off. I mean, poor Kaine, when he is questioning her about the IDEA any normal human being would say with complete honesty: “Yes, I believe the IDEA must be adhered to. Squashing the IDEA by using the whole states’ rights argument is a red herring. So, yes, IDEA is not even up for debate.” But, not the smirking oligarch, she let Kaine, and the world know that she is absolutely fine with states taking back full control of how disabled children are taught. She hates those pesky disabled children trying to get into her Charter schools (they ruin those high averages on the proficiency exams), but they solved that problem by making sure those charter schools were not equipped to handle students with disabilities—so back to the underfunded public school system for them. This is one of other reasons charter schools HATE equal accountability, they can get away with not abiding by IDEA because of different standards. We have an enormous problem with it in our state, (red state), but even some of the Republicans are now having a tough time trying to justify this bullshit.
As a father, and a middle class Dane, I can say that our little family has to pay almost $500 per month for kindergarten… When that’s said, I’m pretty sure that most of those money are for the entire food budget (breakfast, warm lunch, fruit in the afternoon and more). And then there’s the little side-note… if you can prove you’re a low-income family, the municipality will cover the bill. Our municipality keeps a policy of ‘food for all children’, because the politicians want to make sure that even the children of the lowest income families are well fed… no exceptions! Even if the next US government doesn’t turn out to be entirely progressive, as it’s called, I sure hope that many of the ideas of the progressives will survive, because I hate to think of children starving (knowledge or food)… and if that happens in a developed nation… shame on that nation.
Why are there comments here that are against proposals to NOT give tax breaks to billionaires? If you’re FOR the free market, it makes no sense to oppose taxing billionaires. This isn’t a left vs right issue. The left and the right are made up of the middle class and the 99%. Giving more tax breaks to billionaires ultimately leads to them gaining more control over you, the 99%, whether you’re left or right wing. If you’re a “small business owner”, as so many people on the right work hard to be, which is awesome, you’d be fucking stupid to oppose taxing on the powerful corporations who are suppressing your own business. You’d be basically supporting their claim towards monopolizing the business you purport to compete in.
He continues to affirm why I would not have supported him even if he won the nomination. She outright says she’d like to help make it affordable for everyone, it’s vague sure, but she never explicitly says to make it free and apparently that’s not good enough. Have you seen the attitude of children Bernie? People in High School are at such a point of indifference that it’s frankly terrifying. I agree that it should be lowered, but making it all free when they have such a shitty mentality is only going to make college records worse, make Professors look worse, and waste slots in classes for people who have a genuine desire to pursue a degree. They NEED that investment incentive so that they take it seriously, I don’t care that people in many other countries have free college education, they aren’t us. And that’s just from a mentality standpoint, let’s look at it financially. Currently I’m contacted as Alumni to make contributions to my former schools, the same schools that spent roughly 100K to create a den with article games, talking PS4s, XboxOnes, and High End PCs, all of which have zero educational value. So not only are they not making enough money to comfortably expand, they have to beg despite the 100k I put in for tuition alone, not including inflated book prices and there’s a good chance it’ll go to retarded projects I just mentioned. Bernie, as little as our teachers get paid and the way colleges ration out money to make everything free would mean they’d get virtually nothing in this current state.
DESPITE VOTING FOR TRUMP (AND I MAKE NO APPOLOGIES), I CAN’T STAND BETSY DEVOS…or her brother, Erik Prince. Erik Prince is the do I set of the military contractor company, “Blackwater” (now called Academi), but I digress. Betsy DeVos in the Dept. Of Education is like a screen door on a submarine. She has absolutely no experience in education, no experience in government, and no experience in politics.
Bernie Sanders is such a tool. First off, how can anyone take him seriously after he backed Hilary Clinton and the Democratic Party right after the screwed him out of the race. Second, he didn’t let DeVos answer a single question without interrupting her. Like for god sake let her answer a question. Then after he interrupted 8 times and opened 8 different questions he goes, “that’s not what I’m asking!” Well maybe if you let her speak she might be able to answer you. Additionally, he does a very good job of wording his questions so that if you don’t agree with him 100% then u seem like some evil person. I’m not a Trump supporter, not even a Republican, and I admittedly don’t know enough about DeVos, but at the end of this article all I learned about DeVos is that she’s incredibly patient.
Man i despise the colonel. People making money should be responsible for all of everyone’s problems. What, there isn’t enough money from the rich? Well i guess the middle class can pick it up. Oh now everyone is poor except of course us in the government. A deed is done. Stop pretending you know what solution is and let the people make something of themselves like God and the founding fathers intended
He was making questions to assassinate her character. I do agree there should be colleges with free tuition I would love that! but you just can’t make that promise and make that happen you have to think the way the system has been for the last years how much the cost is to have these colleges running, salaries etc… It would make taxes very high. In other countries there is free healthcare and colleges but trust me it isn’t as damn good as it is here for that same reason. He tried to talk her into making promises into certain things that aren’t possible or easy to make happen. You can’t just go and say yeah yeah yeah everything will be free for everyone! That’s what democrats are good at making false promises. That first question she should have said yes we did donate.. Something close to the amount maybe a little less than what Saudi Arabia donated to the Democratic party.
also in the apprentice series mr trump tried to match those who are very educated as to those who what he calls street smart and it turns out that they are almost even. meaning in order to live a decent life one need not be too educated, other qualities such as practicality, patience, hard work, team work, dedication and many others.. you need not be a college degree holder in order for you to be successful in life. the weak ones are made to believe that they are poor without education but in reality it is not so.
there are lots of scholarships for “poor kids” and those deserving…aka merit. dictionary.com/browse/meritocracy Republican, Democrat, and Fruit of the Month club members alike should all be able to agree–that is what is fair. I am all for granting education costs to those who are deserving but disadvantaged financially. What’s wrong with social programs is that the requirements are often exploited and lackadaisically enforced, meaning many who don’t deserve the benefits get them and many who might–will not; it ends up being a wasted opportunity for some and tax burden to many others. All social programs should be administered at the state level. Let communities manage themselves based on their local needs. Federal government is turning out to be a disaster because, as anybody with any real sense knows–what is good for one isn’t always good for all. Also, I would like to see these people support their arguments with page numbers, paragraph references, and article/section citations in the future. Don’t just tell me Donald Trump is relieving billionaires and expect me to believe it. I want to see the original document and investigate the writing myself. I would love to see politicians start citing their sources, all collegiate students must do so with their literary submissions–so should politicians. THAT WOULD BE A GREAT LAW TO PASS–Citing sources. Then we could cut many of the bold-faced lies out of politics and deal with real facts and not speculation or editorialization.
Yes Bernie, I would love to work with you on that, but we differ somewhat on the way to accomplish that. Your way seems to be one dimensional, take from the wealthy, period, done. I have a question for you Bernie, why do tutions keep going up each year ? Are the professors smarter ? Is the quality of education better ? Are the students leaving much smarter ? So why is it that 30 years ago a avg. college tuition was around 5or 10 grand, but now is over 30-40-50 grand depending on the college. Maybe that is why students cannot afford it anymore, so why and how did these costs go up ? Did the wealthy cause it ? Is a ‘ Tiger ‘ room and game and a rec. room and a muti million dollar spa and workout room really a requirement for higher learning and is the climbing wall a must ? And will the professors also give their great wisdom out for free ? Nah, just go get it from those greedy rich bastards. The true Democrat way, or socialist I should say in your case.
Lol everyone saying she dodged all of his questions, she handled all of his questions with class, better than Bernie answered the mediators questions at the second night of debate, lol maybe stop letting your politics show 😂 i agree she isn’t qualified for the position but if you watch anybody being questioned by senators or members of congress, they are far more dodgy than this, sorry to break it to you