Transition of power
Prom
Backed by
Linda McMahon, known for her role in World Wrestling Entertainment, has been criticized for her lack of qualifications for key education positions due to concerns about the impact of her wrestling empire on children. Despite this, President Trump selected her for a role in education.
Written by Stephanie Saul, Zach Montague, and Sharon Otterman.
Typically, nominees for the State Board of Education in Connecticut easily get confirmed by the House of Representatives. However, in 2009, Linda E. McMahon faced strong opposition during the confirmation process.
Andrew Fleischmann, who was the chair of the House Education Committee at the time, recalls feeling upset by her appointment and taking the lead in opposing it.
In a recent interview, Mr. Fleischmann, a Democrat, stated that she had no role in the field of education. He claimed that she has earned millions of dollars by promoting violence and sexualization among young women. According to him, she has had a negative impact on children in the country.
Ms. McMahon’s company, World Wrestling Entertainment, faced backlash for promoting violence, steroid use, and sexualized content. In the early 2000s, Ms. McMahon even participated in the WWE’s dramatic performances herself. For example, she kicked her husband, Vince McMahon, who co-founded the company, in the groin during one routine. In another instance, she seemed to slap her daughter, Stephanie, causing her to fall to the ground.
Following a heated discussion on the House floor, Ms. McMahon was approved with a vote of 96-45, which was an uncommon split for a minor appointment in Connecticut.
Ms. McMahon is expected to go through another confirmation process, this time being nominated by President-elect Donald J. Trump for the position of Secretary of Education.
We are facing difficulties in accessing the content of the article.
Kindly activate JavaScript in the settings of your web browser.
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm your access. If you are currently in Reader mode, please close it and sign in to your Times account, or consider subscribing to access all of The Times content.
We appreciate your patience as we confirm access.
Are you currently a member? Please sign in.
Interested in accessing all content from The Times? Subscribe now.
Prom
Index of Pages
Navigation for Site Information