--- title: Betsy DeVos: Senator Wants Her to Fire Candice Jackson description: Sen. Patty Murray called on Betsy DeVos to remove an official who said 90% of campus sexual assault claims amount to "we were both drunk" canonical: https://time.com/4861905/patty-murray-betsy-devos-candice-jackson-remark/ author: Katie Reilly article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-07-17T22:33:36.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-13T05:43:21.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Senator Wants Official Fired After 'Egregious' Campus Sexual Assault Remark og:description: The official said sexual assault accusations "fall into the category of 'we were both drunk.'" og:url: https://time.com/4861905/patty-murray-betsy-devos-candice-jackson-remark/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcf33f687e94c3dda/6988d610656a3f8357bd0ddd/betsy-devos-candice-jackson-patty-murray.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5124 og:image:height: 2882 og:image:alt: Betsy DeVos og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Senator Wants Official Fired After 'Egregious' Campus Sexual Assault Remark twitter:description: The official said sexual assault accusations "fall into the category of 'we were both drunk.'" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcf33f687e94c3dda/6988d610656a3f8357bd0ddd/betsy-devos-candice-jackson-patty-murray.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 01:00 video:published: 2017-07-14 section: politics topics: campus sexual assault, Title IX policy, civil rights enforcement, alcohol and consent, policy reform, Education Department genre: interview, news tones: measured, evasive, cautious emotions: concern (medium), determination (low) sentiment: neutral audience: policy followers, educators, students, campus administrators, general news readers people: Betsy DeVos organizations: Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights content_suitability: sexual content [00:00-01:00]; drugs and alcohol [00:00-00:15]; politics [00:00-01:00] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Senator Wants Education Official Fired After 'Egregious' Campus Sexual Assault Remark > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=3cacf5f4-c3b8-4157-9e8c-fdb9b1f5822c&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Accused Students Found Betsy DeVos’ Meetings on Campus Sexual Assault ‘Uplifting.’ Victims’ Advocate [Watch (HLS stream): Accused Students Found Betsy DeVos’ Meetings on Campus Sexual Assault ‘Uplifting.’ Victims’ Advocate](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/fm1GLoSV.m3u8) (1:00)  _Published 2017-07-14. Men who say they were falsely accused of sexual assault and harassment in college left their meeting with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Thursday feeling encouraged that a government official had seen their side of the story, they said._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary An interviewer asks about a recent statement by the department's civil rights chief claiming that 90% of campus sexual assaults involve drunk participants, and asks whether that reflects the department's mindset as it considers changing campus policy. The speaker, identified only as a department official, says the department is listening, that the current policy has not worked in many ways and places, and that it aims to get the policy right through discussion with all parties. The clip is short and covers the official's stance on reforming campus sexual assault policy. ## Key points - The interviewer says the civil rights chief recently claimed that 90% of campus sex assaults stem from participants being drunk. (00:00) - The interviewer says the civil rights chief has since apologized and corrected that statement, according to the interviewer. (00:17) - The interviewer asks whether the claim that victims' rights are often ignored reflects the department's mindset as it considers policy changes. (00:09) - The speaker says the department is listening and recognizes that the current policy has not worked in many ways and places. (00:37) - The speaker says the department is determined to get the policy right through conversation and discussion with all parties. (00:47) - The speaker says future changes will be intended to address the issues and get them right. (00:54) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:21] Questions on civil rights chief's statement. The interviewer raises the civil rights chief's claim about drunk participants in campus sexual assaults and asks whether it reflects the department's views. - [00:21 to 01:00] Official's response on campus policy. The official says the department is listening, that the current policy has not worked well, and that it will work with all parties to get the policy right. ## Key quotes - [00:37] Department official: "we are listening, and we know that there's, that this policy has not worked in too many ways and in too many places, and we need to get it right." - [00:47] Department official: "we are determined through the course of conversation, and the course of discussion with all parties, to ensure" - [00:54] Department official: "whatever is done in the future will address the issues and get them right." ## Questions this video answers - What did the civil rights chief say about the share of campus sex assaults involving drunk participants? [00:00] - Has the civil rights chief apologized or corrected the statement about campus sex assaults? [00:17] - How does the department plan to change its campus sexual assault policy? [00:47] - Does the department believe the current campus policy is working? [00:37] ## Content suitability - sexual content [00:00-01:00]: Discussion of campus sexual assault throughout the clip. - drugs and alcohol [00:00-00:15]: References to participants being drunk in assault cases. - politics [00:00-01:00]: Government policy and official statements on education policy.  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Updated: Dec 13, 2023 5:43 AM UTCPublished: Jul 17, 2017 10:33 PM UTC Men who say they were falsely accused of sexual assault and harassment in college left their meeting with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Thursday feeling encouraged that a government official had seen their side of the story, they said.  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Updated: Dec 13, 2023 5:43 AM UTCPublished: Jul 17, 2017 10:33 PM UTC Washington Sen. Patty Murray on Monday called on Education Secretary [Betsy DeVos](http://time.com/4857377/betsy-devos-campus-sexual-assault-meeting/) to fire Candice Jackson, an education official who [caused a stir last week](http://time.com/4855492/betsy-devos-candice-jackson-campus-sexual-assault-accusations/) when she said that 90% of campus sexual assault accusations “[fall into the category of ‘we were both drunk](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/12/us/politics/campus-rape-betsy-devos-title-iv-education-trump-candice-jackson.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&%5Fr=0).'” Jackson, acting head of the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights made the comments in an [interview with the New York ](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/12/us/politics/campus-rape-betsy-devos-title-iv-education-trump-candice-jackson.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&%5Fr=0)[_Times_](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/12/us/politics/campus-rape-betsy-devos-title-iv-education-trump-candice-jackson.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&%5Fr=0) ahead of DeVos’ [meetings with various advocacy groups](http://time.com/4857377/betsy-devos-campus-sexual-assault-meeting/) on the topic of campus sexual assault. Jackson [later apologized](http://time.com/4857776/candice-jackson-sexual-assault-apology/) for the “flippant” comments. “All sexual harassment and sexual assault must be taken seriously—which has always been my position and will always be the position of this Department,” Jackson said. But Murray — a Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee — on Monday called the remarks the “final straw” for Jackson. “Despite her apology following a public outcry, Ms. Jackson’s callous, insensitive, and egregious comments regarding sexual assault on college campuses crossed a serious line and highlighted her clear biases in this area in a way that, to me and many women and men across the country, should disqualify her from service in the position of top Department of Education protector of students’ right to be safe at school,” Murray said in a statement. DeVos defended Jackson in response on Monday. “Acting Assistant Secretary Candice Jackson apologized for her recent comments that reflect neither my position nor the position of the Department,” she said in a statement. “They also did not reflect Candice’s position and values. Candice is a valuable part of the Administration and an unwavering advocate for the civil rights of all students.” > [](https://twitter.com/PattyMurray/status/887008119666212864) Murray also criticized the department’s decision to [roll back protections](http://time.com/4679063/donald-trump-transgender-bathroom/) for transgender students that allowed them to access bathrooms that aligned with their gender identity. “In the three months she has been acting head of the Office for Civil Rights, Candice Jackson’s words and actions have made it clear why Secretary DeVos has chosen to shield her from scrutiny by not formally nominating her for the position and therefore not giving people across the country an opportunity hear her views on and plans for this critical office and its mission,” Murray said in her statement. ## Transcript [00:00] Recently, your civil rights chief said that 90 % of [00:00] campus sex assaults stem from the participants being [00:05] drunk, and [00:09] that their rights have been accused or often ignored, [00:09] do you agree with this sentiment, and is this [00:15] the mindset of the department as you're You're [00:17] considering how to change the policy on school [00:21] campuses. Well, I think she has actually since then [00:24] apologized and corrected her statement for that. But [00:27] what is your thought and is that the mindset as you [00:29] know, I'm trying to determine, what is your opinion [00:37] Again, we are listening, and we know that there's, that [00:40] this policy has not worked in too many ways and in too [00:43] many places, and we need to get it right. And so, we [00:47] are determined through the course of conversation, [00:49] and the course of discussion with all parties, to ensure [00:54] that whatever is done in the future will address the [00:57] issues and get them right. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4861905/patty-murray-betsy-devos-candice-jackson-remark/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4861905/patty-murray-betsy-devos-candice-jackson-remark/"},"headline":"Senator Wants Education Official Fired After 'Egregious' Campus Sexual Assault Remark","datePublished":"2017-07-17T22:33:36.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-13T05:43:21.000Z","description":"Murray called the remarks \"callous, insensitive, and egregious\"","url":"https://time.com/4861905/patty-murray-betsy-devos-candice-jackson-remark/","keywords":["Education","Congress","College","onetime","Betsy DeVos"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcf33f687e94c3dda/6988d610656a3f8357bd0ddd/betsy-devos-candice-jackson-patty-murray.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Katie Reilly","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcf33f687e94c3dda/6988d610656a3f8357bd0ddd/betsy-devos-candice-jackson-patty-murray.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Betsy DeVos","caption":"Betsy DeVos","creditText":"Alex Brandon—AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/education/","name":"Education"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4861905/patty-murray-betsy-devos-candice-jackson-remark/","name":"Senator Wants Education Official Fired After 'Egregious' Campus Sexual Assault Remark"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Accused Students Found Betsy DeVos’ Meetings on Campus Sexual Assault ‘Uplifting.’ Victims’ Advocate","description":"Men who say they were falsely accused of sexual assault and harassment in college left their meeting with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Thursday feeling encouraged that a government official had seen their side of the story, they said.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/fm1GLoSV/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2017-07-14T18:30:42.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/fm1GLoSV.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4861905/patty-murray-betsy-devos-candice-jackson-remark/","duration":"PT1M","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4861905/patty-murray-betsy-devos-candice-jackson-remark/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```