WASHINGTON, D.C.—  As the Senate prepares to vote this week on the confirmation of Steven Menashi to a lifetime seat on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, People For the American Way has launched a video ad highlighting Menashi’s role in enabling Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to deny student loan reimbursement to students defrauded by for-profit colleges. According to the The New York Times, Menashi “helped devise an illegal Education Department effort to use private Social Security data to deny debt relief to thousands of students cheated by their for-profit colleges.”

The ad’s targeting will focus on states including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, and North Carolina. It can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/wzU4_bG9RMU

“Steven Menashi tried to provide legal cover for Betsy DeVos’s scheme to force the victims of fraudulent for-profit colleges to pay in full for the privilege of being ripped off. He failed, because a federal court ruled that DeVos violated privacy laws. That means both his motives and his legal advice were deeply flawed, and that’s just one more reason — in addition to his terrible record of opposing rights for women, people of color and LGBTQ Americans — why he does not belong on the federal bench,” said PFAW Executive Vice President for Policy and Program Marge Baker.

Read PFAW’s  letter of opposition to Menashi here: https://www.pfaw.org/blog-posts/judicial-nominee-steven-menashi-has-a-record-steeped-in-opposition-to-the-rights-and-dignity-of-others/.

Text of ad below:

Tens of thousands of students were ripped off by for-profit colleges that went under and never gave students their money back.

Trump lawyer Steven Menashi and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos say, “tough luck.” 

They cooked up an illegal scheme to deny students their money.

Now Donald Trump wants to put Menashi in a lifetime seat on one of our nation’s most powerful courts. 

It’s time to take them to school.

Tell your Senator: It’s not okay to confirm Steven Menashi to the federal bench.  

About People For the American Way

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: https://www.pfaw.org.

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