Jeb Bush's foundation mixed policy and politics

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Jeb Bush education foundation played leading role in mixing politics, policy

Nonprofit connects state education officials with corporate donors

Politics
By Lyndsey Layton January 6 at 6:33 PM
@lyndseylayton
[e-mail]

An employee of Jeb Bush’s education foundation was unequivocal when New Mexico’s top schools official needed someone to pay her travel costs to Washington to testify before Congress: The foundation would give her “whatever she needs.”

When Maine’s education commissioner, Stephen Bowen, lamented that he could not persuade the state legislature to expand online learning in schools, a foundation employee assured him that Bush “will probably want to engage Governor [Paul] LePage directly to express our support for efforts to advance a bold agenda.”

The exchanges, revealed in e-mails from 2011 and 2012, illustrate the leading role Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education has played in many states since its creation in 2008, following the Republican’s two terms as governor of Florida.

The foundation has forged an unusual role mixing politics and policy — drafting legislation and paying travel expenses for state officials, lobbying lawmakers, and connecting public officials with industry executives seeking government contracts.

[2naSalit]

1. Quell suprise! n/t