What is Betsy DeVos best known for?
Elisabeth Dee DeVos (/dəˈvɒs/; née Prince; born January 8, 1958) is an American politician and businesswoman serving as the 11th and current United States Secretary of Education since 2017. DeVos is a Republican known for her support for school choice, school voucher programs, and charter schools.
Is Betsy DeVos related to Dick DeVos?
Betsy, the daughter of auto parts magnate Edgar Prince and sister of Blackwater founder Erik Prince, owes the vast majority of her fortune to her marriage to Dick DeVos. His father, Richard DeVos Sr., cofounded Amway in 1959 alongside his high school friend, Jay Van Andel.
What does Betsy DeVos’s exit mean for the Heritage Foundation?
Heritage Foundation, on January, 23, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Betsy DeVos has decided to exit a couple of weeks early, which will have virtually no practical effects on anything (except perhaps pushing journalists to complete their DeVos retrospective pieces sooner than planned).
What did Betsy DeVos really say about the education Cabal?
Addressing the Young Americans Foundation, DeVos made one of her sweeping generalizations about the many forces arrayed against her vision, referring to the “education cabal” for neither the first nor last time. Nor did she ever hesitate to accuse the Democrats of being tools of the teachers union.
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How Did Betsy DeVos Reach Her Net Worth?
Later, DeVos became DeVos by getting married to Dick DeVos, which is a very important detail as well.
Who is Betsy Devos?
Betsy DeVos is the current U.S. Secretary of Education. However, she was known in education circles before that, which is why her appointment was met with so much opposition that it came down to a 51-50 vote in the U.S. Senate with Vice President Mike Pence casting the tie-breaking vote. Simply put, DeVos is much better-known for being ...
How much money has Devos donated to Republicans?
For instance, DeVos has stated that it is possible that her family has donated $200 million to Republicans, which is a huge sum by any standard of measurement. Furthermore, the DeVoses have been known for their charitable contributions as well, as shown by a statement from their family spokesperson that the total is more than $1.6 billion.
Why did Devos sell her holdings?
Secretary of Education, she and her husband sold off dozens of holdings to prevent legal complications, which should provide interested individuals with some idea of just how widely their wealth has been spread. Having said that, the DeVoses have spent much as well.
How much is Devos worth?
If so, they should know that DeVos and her husband are estimated by Forbes to have a net worth of about $2 billion, though more exact information is unavailable for obvious reasons.
Why are stocks being bought and sold?
This is because stocks are being bought and sold on a regular basis , meaning that there are constant updates on what people are willing to pay for them. In contrast, it is much more difficult to evaluate the value of something like, say, a real estate property.
Where does Devos' net worth come from?
Summed up, DeVos’s net worth comes from her family connections. Some of it came from her father, who was a very well-off individual to say the least. However, more of it comes from her marriage, which makes sense because Richard DeVos was a multi-billionaire. Still, it should be mentioned that the estimate of about $2 billion is an estimate ...
Who is Betsy Devos?
Betsy, the daughter of auto parts magnate Edgar Prince and sister of Blackwater founder Erik Prince, owes the vast majority of her fortune to her marriage to Dick DeVos. His father, Richard DeVos Sr., cofounded Amway in 1959 alongside his high school friend, Jay Van Andel. What began as two buddies selling an all-purpose cleaner door-to-door quickly grew into an army of independent salespeople hawking vitamins, soaps and other household goods to friends and family—and, controversially, earning money by signing others up as distributors too. Dick DeVos ran the company from 1993 to 2002. Today one DeVos (Dick’s brother Doug) and one Van Andel co-chair the board. The families split ownership 50/50, according to a spokesperson of the DeVos family.
How much is Betsy Devos's fortune?
Add it all up and Betsy and her husband’s slice of the family fortune totals about $2 billion, though it’s hard to tell how much, if any, of that wealth has already been transferred to their four children and eight grandchildren. Ethics laws don’t require public officials like DeVos to break down their exact stake in an investment or what they have given to family members, an especially big loophole for large, dynastic wealth like the DeVos fortune. The family spokesperson would only say that the second and third generation DeVoses “actively participate in family committees and businesses, and hopefully the fourth generation will one day too.”
How long did Dick Devos run the company?
Dick DeVos ran the company from 1993 to 2002. Today one DeVos (Dick’s brother Doug) and one Van Andel co-chair the board. The families split ownership 50/50, according to a spokesperson of the DeVos family. That stake has made the DeVoses unbelievably rich.
How many yachts does Richard Devos own?
The DeVoses own a sportsplex in Florida, a baseball stadium in Michigan and a resort in the Bahamas. They reportedly own at least ten yachts, including the 164-foot Seaquest. In 1991 Richard DeVos shelled out $85 million to buy the NBA's Orlando Magic. The team is now worth nearly $1.2 billion net of debt.
What does Devos believe?
When pressed at one hearing, she could not come up with a single example of discrimination that would call for federal intervention. The pandemic was the ultimate test of her hands off philosophy, but she held tight to the belief that the education department has no role in helping school districts figure out how to respond to Covid-19, even as she demanded that school buildings re-open.
What did Devos say about the education cabal?
Addressing the Young Americans Foundation, DeVos made one of her sweeping generalizations about the many forces arrayed against her vision, referring to the “education cabal” for neither the first nor last time. Nor did she ever hesitate to accuse the Democrats of being tools of the teachers union. DeVos viewed basically everyone working in public education as an enemy, and that colored all her policies and speeches, reducing the usefulness of her bully pulpit to nil. “You stink, and you’re evil to stand against me, but here’s what I think you should do,” is a tough sell. But DeVos saw herself battling and beset by opponents on all sides.
Did Devos change her view on the department?
DeVos offered this insight in 2015. Working in the department did not change her view, and as she approached the end of her term, she was still clear that she would be happy to see her job disappear.
Was Devos an unapologetic queen of the non answer?
The actual question came from Sen. Patty Murray, who asked if DeVos would commit to keeping funding for public schools intact. Her answer was a very over-wordy “no.”
Did Devos believe that public schools have changed?
DeVos insisted that public schools had not changed in a century. If she had spent more time in them, she might have learned differently. Ditto for her assertion that public schools are a “dead end.”
Who asked Betsy Devos a question?
At her contentious confirmation hearing as Donald Trump’s nominee to be education secretary on Tuesday, Betsy DeVos was asked a question by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) about an important education debate involving how student progress should be measured. The query essentially rendered her speechless as she appeared not to know how to answer. When Franken told her he was upset she didn’t understand it, she did not protest.
What did Devos say to Warren?
DeVos said, “If confirmed, I will certainly be very vigilant.” Warren persisted, “I’m asking how.” When DeVos said “individuals with whom” she will work in the department will ensure that federal money is properly used, Warren further dug in, and then explained to DeVos that there is actually a group of rules already on the books, the gainful employment regulations. “All you have to do is enforce then,” Warren said, asking DeVos if she would do so. She wouldn’t commit.
Why did Devos pay $25 million to settle lawsuits?
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) asked DeVos how she planned to protect waste, fraud and abuse from for-profit universities, citing Trump University, which President-elect Donald Trump founded; he ultimately paid $25 million to settle lawsuits by students who said they were cheated. Trump said he paid the money so he could focus on getting ready to run the country.
When was Betsy Devos confirmed?
At her confirmation hearing for education secretary on Jan. 17, Betsy DeVos gave some befuddling answers. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)
Did Devos agree with a Democrat that schools are no place for guns?
DeVos refused to agree with a Democrat that schools are no place for guns, citing one school that needs one to protect against grizzly bears. (She really said this.)
Did Devos refuse to answer questions?
That was just one of several moments during the hearing in which DeVos either displayed a lack of knowledge about education fundamentals or refused to answer questions that Democratic members of the Senate Education Committee believe are critical to her fitness for the job.
Who was Trump's education pick?
Betsy DeVos, Trump’s education pick, lauded as bold reformer, called unfit for job. Here are some of the notable moments: Story continues below advertisement. DeVos refused to agree with a Democrat that schools are no place for guns, citing one school that needs one to protect against grizzly bears.