We need to support Senate Democrats who are taking part in a late-night, if not all-night, attempt at a filibuster to prevent confirmation of Betsy DeVos as education secretary. The vote on this confirmation is scheduled for Tuesday at noon (2/7/2017.) We MUST join a nationwide calling effort; call, call, call, until you get through! You can also call after hours, some voicemail accounts do fill, but keep trying. Calls count. Records are kept about calls, for and against an issue.

Tonight and tomorrow we need to call senators who may not be our representatives. Why? Several GOP senators have been identified as possible flips on the DeVos vote.  These senators are vulnerable in upcoming re-elections, have received pressure from their home constituencies or are actually concerned about DeVos. Scroll down to read more about the latest news (including ethics issues that should matter) at the bottom of this post.

Sage advice from Slate: “[It is not] in vain to continue calling or writing them urging them to change their minds. If the heat is turned up to an extreme following a senator’s announcement of support, one of those senators could rethink. The idea is for a senator to feel that the trouble he or she would get in with constituents for supporting DeVos would be greater than the trouble with Trump for voting against her.”

This is the contact information for all senators who others have identified as “possible” or “most likely” to change positions and vote “no” on  DeVos’s confirmation. Note the most vulnerable are those who are up for re-election (yes in the column next to their name).

Leave a message (with a person or machine) that says something simple like, “The future of our country, our children, is at stake. Please vote no on the Betsy DeVos confirmation.” Some have added thoughts like “I will donate and work on campaigns for whomever opposes you in 2018”  ( Jeff Flake and others up for reelection in 2018,) “the whole country is watching,” “This vote impacts ALL of us” “please do the right thing” “Stand up to Trump for our children’s education.”

Example from twitter (calling is more effective):

RT to let @SenToomey that PA res. against DeVos have pledged over $5 million to his next opponent if he votes yes. Follow for updates.

— The Resistance (@ActualEPAFacts) February 6, 2017

If you can’t get through to their Washington office phone, call another one of their offices, and again, you can call off-hours and leave a message.

(late night add to list of those who might be moveable “Call NC Senator Tillis. Word is he’s undecided and you can leave a message at 202-224-2342.”)

Latest news about DeVos

According to NPR:

Senate Democrats are planning an all-night session in a last-ditch effort to try to stop President Trump’s nominee for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, from being confirmed.
Right now, DeVos just barely has enough votes. Two Republican senators — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins from Maine — both announced last week they won’t support her nomination. That means there’s a 50-50 split right now, with Vice President Pence expected to break the tie with a vote slated for Tuesday afternoon.

From an article in The Hill:

As former ethics counsels to Presidents Obama and George W. Bush, we’ve reviewed more than our share of ethics filings for cabinet nominees. Seldom have we seen a worse cabinet-level ethics mess than that presented by Betsy DeVos, President Trump’s choice for education secretary.

Her extensive financial holdings present significant—and unresolved—conflict of interest issues. She also failed to provide the Senate with accurate information about her involvement with outside organizations. We have regretfully come to the conclusion that these concerns disqualify DeVos for that cabinet position.

From an article in USA Today with a video that includes Elizabeth Warren

WASHINGTON — As she faces what promises to be the closest vote ever for a cabinet nominee, Betsy DeVos, President Donald Trump’s choice for education secretary, is also the most well-known — and in some sense the most notorious.

Spoofed as clueless on Saturday Night Live last weekend, she has been the subject of Internet memes and angry teacher protests nationwide since her Jan. 17 Senate confirmation hearing. Observers say the Republican mega-donor and Michigan native has tapped into anxieties about the new Trump administration — and with two key Republicans last week vowing to vote against her, she is a ripe target: the first Trump nominee who could potentially be defeated.

CALL! CALL! CALL!!!!