Washington(CNN) Democratic senators hammered Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Education Department, during Tuesday's confirmation hearing, claiming she is not qualified to lead the nation's education system.
There were also tense exchanges, like when DeVos agreed that Trump described sexual assault in a leaked hot mic video from a 2005 entertainment show. In another surprising moment, a discussion of guns in schools turned on grizzly bears.
As to policy, DeVos stood firm in her long held beliefs that parents -- not the government -- should be able to choose where to send children to school, pledging to push voucher programs should she be confirmed to lead the nation's education system. But the hearing largely hinged on her qualifications for the job.
When Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota asked DeVos whether she believed growth or proficiency was a better way to judge group of students, the Michigan Republican stumbled to answer and asked for clarification.
Franken pounced, suggesting that DeVos does not have the "breadth and depth of knowledge" to be education secretary.
"It surprises me that you don't know this issue," Franken said, later adding, bitingly, that actually he was "not that surprised."
DeVos has been a political heavyweight for decades, spending millions to advance conservative causes in her home state of Michigan and across the country. Much of her fortune had gone towards backing politicians and organizations that encourage voucher programs, allowing parents to send their children to private schools and helping them pay for it.
"It's time to shift the debate from what the system thinks is best for kids to what moms and dads want, expect and deserve. Parents no longer believe that a one-size-fits-all model of learning meets the needs of every child," DeVos said, adding that she will push for more access to charter, home and religious schools.
DeVos said that she would be a "a strong advocate for great public schools," but would support "a parent's right to enroll their child in a high-quality alternative."
During a question and answer with Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, DeVos declined to answer whether she believed in applying the same standards to pubic, charter and private schools.
"I support accountability," DeVos said four times. When asked directly if she was declined to answer the question, DeVos simply said: "I support accountability."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, forced DeVos to admit that she has never led an organization akin to the Education Department, and has never used any of the financial aid products she will offer to students as head of it.
"So you have no experience with college financial aid or management of higher education," Warren said.
DeVos was also pressed on civil rights laws dealing with students with disabilities, saying early in the hearing implementation should be left up to the states.
Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire circled back to DeVos near the end of the hearing, informing her the law was a federal statute.
"Federal law must be followed when federal dollars are in play," DeVos said.
"So were you unaware when I just asked you about the (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) that it was a federal law?" Hassan asked.
"I may have confused it," DeVos said.
Conflicts of interest
Democrats also keyed in on DeVos ties to education companies and possible accusations of conflict-of-interest between the potential education secretary and those she will seek to regulate.
Trump's nominees and their confirmation hearings
Vice President Mike Pence, right, administers the oath of office to Dan Coats, the new director of national intelligence, on Thursday, March 16. Coats was accompanied by his wife, Marsha. He was confirmed by the Senate the day before.
Coats speaks on Capitol Hill before his confirmation hearing in February.
The former US senator from Indiana was the US ambassador to Germany in the first term of George W. Bush's administration.
New Energy Secretary Rick Perry speaks at his swearing-in ceremony in Washington on Thursday, March 2. The former Texas governor
was confirmed by a Senate vote of 62-37.
Perry is sworn in before his confirmation hearing in January.
During his testimony, Perry cast himself as an advocate for a range of energy sources, noting that he presided over the nation's leading energy-producing state. He also said he regrets once calling for the Energy Department's elimination.
Ben Carson is joined by his wife, Candy, and his granddaughter Tesora as he is sworn in as the secretary of housing and urban development on March 2. The renowned neurosurgeon and former presidential candidate
was confirmed by a vote of 58-41.
Carson greets Tesora prior to testifying before the Senate Committee of Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs in January.
In his opening statement, he noted that he was raised by a single mother who had a "third-grade education" and made the case that he understands the issues facing the millions of people who rely on HUD programs.
New Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke signs an official document after he was
confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday, March 1. The former congressman from Montana was joined by his wife, Lolita, as well as Vice President Mike Pence, US Sen. Steve Daines and Montana Attorney General Tim Fox.
Zinke, a former Navy SEAL, is sworn in before
his confirmation hearing in January. He pledged to review Obama administration actions that limit oil and gas drilling in Alaska, and he said he does not believe climate change is a hoax.
Pence swears in new Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross as Ross' wife, Hilary, stands by on Tuesday, February 28. The billionaire
was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 72-27.
Ross, center, waits to be introduced by US Sen. Marco Rubio, right, at his confirmation hearing in January. At the hearing, Ross said he wants countries that resort to "malicious" trading tactics to be "severely" punished. He
pointed the finger at China, which he called "the most protectionist country of very large countries."
Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito swears in Scott Pruitt as the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday, February 17. Holding the Bible is Pruitt's wife, Marlyn, and they were joined by their son, Cade. Pruitt, the former attorney general of Oklahoma,
was confirmed by the Senate 52-46.
Pruitt testifies at
his confirmation hearing in January. Pruitt said he doesn't believe climate change is a hoax, but he didn't indicate he would take swift action to address environmental issues that may contribute to climate change. He said there is still debate over how to respond.
Pence shakes hands with Mick Mulvaney after swearing him in as the new director of the Office of Management and Budget on Thursday, February 16. Mulvaney's wife, Pam, looks on. Mulvaney had been a congressman since 2011.
Mulvaney testifies before the Senate Budget Committee in January. He
didn't back off his views that entitlement programs need revamping to survive -- and he didn't back away from some of his past statements on the matter. President Donald Trump, during his campaign, pledged not to touch Social Security or Medicare.
McMahon speaks during her confirmation hearing. She stepped down from her WWE duties in 2009 and ran for the Senate in 2010 and 2012.
Pence watches David Shulkin, the new secretary of the Veterans Affairs Department, speak at his swearing-in ceremony on February 14. Shulkin was confirmed by
a unanimous vote in the Senate.
Shulkin speaks at his confirmation hearing. He was
the VA's undersecretary for health, a position in which he oversaw more than 1,700 health care sites across the United States.
Mnuchin arrives for his confirmation hearing in January. Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs banker,
faced policy questions about taxes, the debt ceiling and banking regulation.
Pence shakes hands with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price -- who was accompanied by his wife, Betty -- after a swearing-in ceremony on Friday, February 10. Price, a former congressman from Georgia,
was confirmed 52-47 in a middle-of-the-night vote along party lines.
Price testifies at his confirmation hearing in January. Price
confronted accusations of investing in companies related to his legislative work in Congress -- and in some cases, repealing financial benefits from those investments. Price firmly denied any wrongdoing and insisted that he has taken steps to avoid any conflicts of interests.
Trump watches as Pence administers the oath of office to Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the White House Oval Office on Thursday, February 9. Sessions, one of Trump's closest advisers and his earliest supporter in the Senate, was confirmed
by a 52-47 vote that was mostly along party lines. He was accompanied to the swearing-in by his wife, Mary.
In his
wide-ranging confirmation hearing, Sessions pledged to recuse himself from all investigations involving Hillary Clinton based on inflammatory comments he made during a "contentious" campaign season. He also defended his views of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion, saying he doesn't agree with it but would respect it.
Pence swears in Education Secretary Betsy DeVos next to her husband, Dick, on Tuesday, February 7. Pence
cast a historic tie-breaking vote to confirm DeVos after the Senate was divided 50-50.
DeVos, a top Republican donor and school-choice activist,
prepares to testify at her confirmation hearing in January. DeVos
stood firm in her long-held beliefs that parents -- not the government -- should be able to choose where to send children to school, pledging to push voucher programs if she was confirmed.
Trump watches as Pence swears in Rex Tillerson as secretary of state on Wednesday, February 1. Tillerson's wife, Renda St. Clair, holds the Bible. Tillerson, a former CEO of ExxonMobil, was
confirmed in the Senate by a vote of 56 to 43.
Elaine Chao, Trump's pick for transportation secretary, signs the affidavit of appointment during her swearing-in ceremony in Washington on Tuesday, January 31. Chao is joined, from left, by Pence; her father, James Chao; and her husband, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Chao testifies at
her confirmation hearing in January. Chao, who was approved by a 93-6 vote, was deputy secretary of transportation under George H.W. Bush and labor secretary under George W. Bush.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley takes the oath of office as she becomes the US Ambassador to the United Nations on Wednesday, January 25. She is joined by US Sen. Marco Rubio and staffer Rebecca Schimsa as she is sworn in by the vice president.
During her confirmation hearing, Haley rapped the UN for its treatment of Israel and indicated that she thinks the US should reconsider its contribution of 22% of the annual budget. "The UN and its specialized agencies have had numerous successes," Haley said. "However, any honest assessment also finds an institution that is often at odds with American national interests and American taxpayers. ... I will take an outsider's look at the institution."
Mike Pompeo is joined by his wife, Susan, as he is sworn in as CIA director on Monday, January 23. Pompeo, who is vacating his seat in the US House, was
confirmed by the Senate in a 66-32 vote.
Pompeo is sworn in at
his confirmation hearing. Along with Russia, Pompeo said other global threats include Iran's growing influence in the Middle East, ISIS' grip over major urban areas, and the conflict in Syria.
Mattis testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He
emerged from his confirmation hearing with broad support after he took a strong posture against Russian President Vladimir Putin and answered tough questions on women and gays in combat.
Retired Marine Gen. John Kelly signs his confirmation letter on January 20. He is joined by his wife, Karen.
Kelly testifies
at his hearing. He was previously the head of US Southern Command, which is responsible for all military activities in South America and Central America.
These concerns have been exacerbated by the fact that DeVos' ethics paperwork, a requirement for anyone seeking a Cabinet post, has not yet been cleared by the Office of Government Ethics.
While the paperwork is not required to be approved before a hearing, as a Republican committee aide noted, it is required before the committee votes, meaning the delay in paperwork approval could delay DeVos' confirmation.
"I am extremely disappointed that we are moving forward with this hearing before receiving the proper paperwork from the Office of Government Ethics," Sen. Patty Murray, the committee's top Democrat, said Tuesday.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also expressed his frustration with Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Lamar Alexander said there would only be one round of senator questions. Schumer said she was controversial and Democrats need more than one five-minute period to ask her questions, adding that Alexander should schedule a second hearing and warned if he doesn't if could impact how Democrats deal with confirming other nominees.
Sexual assault
DeVos also did not commit to continuing the Obama administration's 2011 guidance on campus sexual assault, guidance that found schools would be in violation of Title IX and risk losing federal funds if they don't properly investigate sexual assault allegations.
"It would be premature for me to do that today," DeVos said.
DeVos, a mother of four, said the issue of campus sexual assault "is really piqued on this issue," but added that she would work to get read in on the issue once she gets to the Education Department.
The Michigan Republican did affirm that the actions Trump described on a leaked "Access Hollywood" 2005 tape -- where he described kissing and groping women without their consent -- constitutes sexual assault.
"Yes," DeVos said when asked by Murray about the tape that rocked the presidential campaign.
The comment marks a break from Trump's talking points at the time, which was largely to dismiss the comments as "locker room talk."
GOP donor
DeVos has been a prolific Republican donor for decades. She has given millions to groups that advocate for school privatization and voucher programs, including the American Federation for Children, a group she chaired from 2009 to 2016.
Like several of Trump's Cabinet picks, DeVos has tremendous wealth. Forbes estimates DeVos and her husband, Dick, are worth upwards of $5 billion. She has also donated to at least four of the senators who heard her testimony on Tuesday.
Responding to a question from Sen. Bernie Sanders, DeVos said "collectively (it) is possible" her family has given around $200 million to Republican causes over the years.
LGBT issues
DeVos' giving through a slew of family foundations was also an issue in regards to how she would handle LGBT issues as education secretary.
Franken pushed DeVos regarding donations to Focus on the Family, an organization that believes conversion therapy for LGBT. Franken directly asked DeVos whether she "still believes" in conversion therapy.
"I have never believed in that," DeVos said, adding, "I fully embrace equality."
DeVos and her family -- through three family foundations -- have given more than $10 million to Focus on the Family, according to watchdog groups.
DeVos later said that senators were conflating donations she made and those made her mother's foundation.
"My mother makes the decisions for her foundation," she said.