Congressional Democrats calling for widespread student loan forgiveness owe major sums in educational debt, according to a Washington Examiner analysis of newly released financial disclosures.
A total of 14 Democratic members of Congress, who are an average of 45 years old and include the likes of "Squad" Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), reported on 2022 filings holding up to $1.7 million combined in their own or a family member's student debt. That these same politicians have also urged President Joe Biden to waive away college loans on the backs of taxpayers presents an apparent conflict of interest, ethics experts and a top Republican lawmaker say.
The Supreme Court in June dealt a heavy blow to Biden's roughly $400 billion federal student loan forgiveness plan of up to $20,000 each for millions of borrowers, ruling that the proposal skirted congressional authority.
The president called the judiciary's decision "a mistake" soon after, and the White House last week launched a program that allows borrowers to apply for smaller monthly debt payments with the ability to qualify for loan forgiveness after 10 years.
On Wednesday, nearly 90 Democrats joined a letter to Biden asking him to use "Additional tools" to "Cancel student debt by early 2024." Should the president do so, 13 signatories or their relatives who in 2022 held loans could reap a windfall.
Bowman, who described last year how he "Had to take out thousands in student loans" and called on Biden to "Cancel student loan debt," owes $250,000 in student loans, according to his 2022 disclosure.
Tlaib, who said following the Supreme Court's June decision to block debt cancellation that she will "Fight like hell until the American people get the student debt relief they deserve," disclosed owing up to $100,000 in federal government law school loans.
Omar, who purportedly "Won't stop fighting until we have canceled student debt for everyone in America," reported up to $50,000 in Nelnet debt.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house/democrats-college-loan-forgiveness-owe-student-debt
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