Controversy mounts on Trump education pick

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Senate phone lines were jammed much of Thursday as constituents chime in on President Donald Trump's education secretary pick.

The Senate will hold a procedural vote Friday to move forward on decision on Betsy DeVos.

"We have to take care of enough to stand up and fight for students," said Erlene Lyde, president of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Association of Educators.

The association and many other teacher associations have been rallying teachers to show their opposition to DeVos.

U.S. Republican Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis will play a direct role in DeVos' confirmation. Both have benefited from donations from DeVos' family members during election years, federal election records show.

Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat, commented in Politico on the selection of Obama Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker.

"It wouldn't be the first time that a nominee has made political donations," he said. "Penny Pritzker was a fantastic secretary of commerce and she probably made a few donations to Democrats over the years. I don't worry about those donations."

Tillis spokesman Daniel Keylin released a statement, scolding the media for reporting the information.

"The far-left and the liberal media didn't raise any questions to the dozens of Democratic senators including Chuck Schumer and Tim Kaine who supported President Obama's Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, who had previously donated to their campaigns. In addition to this being a non-issue, it's also a partisan double standard that solidifies why the American people don't trust the media for balanced coverage."

Cox Media Group