January 18, 2017

NEWS

1/18/17 – 3 Time Loser Rossi and Trump’s Terrible Team

Three Time Loser Dino Rossi

Washington state voters have said “no” to Dino Rossi again and again, but that doesn’t stop him from trying to sneak back into politics so he can push his backwards ideas – eliminating the minimum wage, cutting benefits for seniors and children, and discriminating against women and minorities. Now he’s appointed to the 45th Legislative District Senate seat to replace the late Sen. Andy Hill, and he’s back up to his usual tricks.

On Monday, students, parents, and teachers from across the state came to Olympia to rally and advocate for education funding. A group from the 45th district had a great meeting with the district’s two Democratic representatives – Rep. Roger Goodman and Rep. Larry Springer – but when they went to meet with Rossi, he refused to meet with them. According to teachers in the group, Rossi thought his time was better spent going to lunch than meeting with his constituents to talk about funding education.

Call Rossi’s office at 360-786-7672 and remind him of his job – the voters want our schools funded, and Rossi should listen to his constituents and get to work!

 

Trump’s Terrible Appointments

Hearings continued this weekend on Trump’s terrible nominees for his cabinet. Last night, Betsy DeVos, Trump’s billionaire nominee for Education Secretary who has spent years working to privatize schools, displayed a shocking and disturbing lack of understanding of critical education issues.

The Washington Post covered the hearing well in their story “Six astonishing things Betsy DeVos said — and refused to say — at her confirmation hearing”:

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.)

DeVos seemed to have no understanding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, known as IDEA, which requires public schools to provide free and appropriate education to all students with disabilities.

DeVos refused to agree with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) that all schools that receive public federal funds — traditional public, public charter or private schools that receive voucher money — should be held to the same standards of accountability.

DeVos said she would review gainful employment regulations without committing to enforce them.

DeVos appeared to have no idea what Franken was talking about when he referred to the accountability debate about whether to use test scores to measure student proficiency or student growth.

DeVos did not answer Sen. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.) when he asked her what she had learned about the failures of the Detroit traditional public and public charter schools that would inform her decision-making as the secretary of education.

And this morning, Sen. Patty Murray led the questioning of Rep. Tom Price, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Price – who has led Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare and privatize Medicare – is caught up in scandal after scandal for protecting corporate health care interests to enrich himself and his campaign donors. Murray grilled Price on his track record of corruption and his plans to take health care away from millions of Americans.

Wall Street Journal: Donald Trump’s Pick for Health Secretary Traded Medical Stocks While in House

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the Health and Human Services Department traded more than $300,000 in shares of health-related companies over the past four years while sponsoring and advocating legislation that potentially could affect those companies’ stocks.

Kaiser Health News: Trump’s HHS Nominee Got A Sweetheart Drug Stock Deal

When Tom Price bought stock in foreign company Immunotherapeutics, he bought the stock in a private sweetheart deal, paying only 18 cents a share for stock that later rose to more than 90 cents.

CNN: Trump’s Cabinet pick invested in company, then introduced a bill to help it

Rep. Tom Price last year purchased shares in a medical device manufacturer days before introducing legislation that would have directly benefited the company, raising new ethics concerns for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary.

TIME: Donald Trump’s Cabinet Pick Invested in 6 Drug Companies Before Medicare Fight

Donald Trump’s nominee to be the country’s next health care czar invested last year as much as $90,000 in six pharmaceutical companies shortly before leading a legislative and public relations effort that benefited those specific companies, records show.

Sen. Murray has a Facebook post to share on Price’s record – click here to share it with your family and friends on Facebook.

 

Thanks for reading – you can reach us at communications@wa-democrats.org with your thoughts and feedback. Let’s keep a spotlight on the legislature this year and we’ll stay in touch with you about how we can work together to fight back, beat the Republicans, and deliver wins for the people of Washington!

The WA Democrats Communications Team

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