Politicians need to watch their back these days. You never know when radical protestors will emerge.
And these rage-filled protestors descended onto the Capitol to target this top Republican.
Linda McMahon’s Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday was anything but uneventful, as it was punctuated by vocal protests, intense discussions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and criticism over government spending cuts suggested by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Protests and Partisan Clash
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing saw multiple disruptions from protesters, with one person loudly declaring, “Protect trans kids, protect immigrant students, protect our schools!” before being removed from the room.
Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., took issue with the interruptions, criticizing the protesters’ behavior. “A number of them have told us that they’re … teachers. Can you imagine them teaching our kids in classrooms across America, and they come here and act like children with outbursts?” Banks remarked.
His comments drew a swift rebuttal from newly elected Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., who defended the demonstrators, stating, “[They are] exactly the kind of people who we want teaching our children.”
Title IX and Transgender Athletes
A major topic of debate centered around the Biden administration’s Title IX regulations and their recent reversal by President Donald Trump. In January, Trump announced that legal protections under Title IX—originally designed to prohibit s*x-based discrimination in federally funded education programs—would be based strictly on biological s*x rather than gender identity.
McMahon expressed her support for the change, stating she was “happy” to see the law restored to its original intent. “[W]omen should feel safe in their locker rooms. They should feel safe in their spaces. They shouldn’t have to be exposed to men undressing in front of them,” she asserted. McMahon also made clear that, if confirmed, she would ensure compliance with the law, particularly for institutions that might attempt to defy the new policy.
The Debate Over DEI Programs
McMahon faced pointed questioning on DEI programs, which have become a focal point in the national debate over race and education policy. While acknowledging that DEI was originally intended to promote inclusivity, she argued that it has instead led to greater division. “DEI has been – I think has been, it’s a program that’s tough,” McMahon stated. “It was put in place ostensibly for more diversity, for equity and inclusion. And I think what we’re seeing is it is having an opposite effect. We are getting back to more segregating of our schools instead of having more inclusion in our schools.”
She cited examples of DEI-driven initiatives leading to separate graduation ceremonies for Black and Hispanic students, questioning whether such practices align with the principle of inclusion. “When their DEI programs say that Black students need separate graduation ceremonies or Hispanics need separate ceremonies, we are not achieving what we wanted to achieve with inclusion,” she added.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., pushed back, highlighting concerns that some institutions, including Department of Defense schools, had canceled Black History Month programming. He challenged McMahon, asking whether celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day or teaching Black history would constitute a DEI violation.
McMahon dismissed the concern, stating, “In my view, that is clearly not the case. That celebration of Martin Luther King Day in Black History Month should be celebrated throughout all of our schools.” She emphasized King’s vision of equality, noting his famous aspiration that people be judged by “the content of their character” rather than their race.
Government Spending and DOGE’s Influence
Democrats also pressed McMahon on whether she would back spending reductions proposed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). McMahon defended the initiative, arguing that voters had expressed a clear desire to eliminate wasteful government spending. “I believe the American people spoke loudly in the election last November to say that they want to look at waste, fraud, and abuse in our government,” she said.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., probed further, asking if she would commit to following recommendations made by the so-called “DOGE brothers.” McMahon assured the panel that she would abide by congressional mandates, stating, “because that’s the law.”
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., raised additional concerns about DOGE’s access to “private student data,” suggesting that their involvement should “frighten everyone.” McMahon countered that DOGE employees were officially part of the Department of Education and thus subject to existing data privacy regulations. “It is my understanding that those employees have been onboarded as employees of the Department of Education, and therefore, they operate under the restraints of utilizing access of information,” she said. Murray remained unconvinced, calling the situation “deeply disturbing.”
McMahon’s nomination is now heading for a crucial vote in the Senate HELP Committee, scheduled for Feb. 20.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
