U.S. Representatives Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09) and Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) are pushing back against the Biden administration’s record $37.7 million fine of Grand Canyon University (GCU), calling the Department of Education “weaponized” in its “targeted” attack of the Christian school.
The six-term congressman told The Arizona Sun Times, on Tuesday “GCU is being targeted for its religious views and for being the largest Christian university in the country. The Department of Education should recognize GCU’s lawful nonprofit status and stop the harassment.”
Gosar, who had previously sent a letter to the Department of Education regarding its $37.7 million fine of GCU, said in his Sunday newsletter that he joined U.S. Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) in sending another letter addressing the issue.
“GCU categorically denies the unsubstantiated allegations levelled by Biden’s weaponized federal agencies. The Department of Education purposely continues to fail to properly acknowledge GCU’s nonprofit status, long recognized by the IRS, so it can pursue crippling sanctions and fines against the university,” Gosar said; adding, “I joined Congressman Biggs in sending a second letter, this time to the Inspector General of the Department of Education demanding an investigation of the fine levied against GCU.”
“The Biden administration has waged an all-out assault on GCU,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a Friday letter to Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Education Sandra Bruce, Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) pressed for an examination of the fine against GCU.
“I urge you to investigate the Department of Education (ED) Office of Enforcement’s record setting $37.7 million fine recently levied against Grand Canyon University (GCU). It appears this fine was the result of political animus and is yet another instance of weaponization of the federal government,” he wrote.
Referring to GCU’s fines as “grossly inappropriate,” Biggs pointed out the marked difference in penalties received by other universities. “For example,” he says, “Michigan State University was fined $4.5 million for a systemic failure to address years of sexual abuse and harassment. Temple University was fined just $700,000 for lying to U.S. News & World Report for years about its online M.B.A. program to sustain high rankings and attract more students. Given the actual harms committed by these two schools, there’s no reasonable explanation for ED’s disproportionate punishment of GCU.”
Biggs noted that “[s]ince GCU first appealed ED’s refusal to recognize their nonprofit status in 2021, ED has targeted the university” and repeated his call for an investigation. “The Department of Education appears to be using its unchecked power to inappropriately target GCU. This outrageous fine and the “evidence” supporting ED’s allegations must be investigated.”
Previously, in November 2023, Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) was joined by Representatives Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar, and Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08) in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona stating that ED “has not made a compelling case to institute a multi-million dollar fine – the largest penalty ever handed down by the Education Department – and is overreach at best.” The Representatives asked for GCU’s fine to be “rescinded” and called for more transparency in protecting “religious freedom in the future.”
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Debra McClure is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Debra on X / Twitter.
Photo “Paul Gosar” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. Background Photo “Grand Canyon University Campus” by davidpinter. CC BY 3.0.
Eliminating the Federal Department of Education would not only save money but improve educational outcomes. This agency has failure baked into its regulatory model for the purpose of increasing its administrative funding,