Saturday, February 18, 2006
Dick DeVos, son of Amway scion, running as Republican for Governor of Michigan
Pundits say DeVos may spend $100 million on race
...my eyes almost popped out when I read ...about the announced Republican candidate for governor [of Michigan]...if Richard ("Dick") DeVos wins, Michigan will have fallen prey to religious right fervor in the worst case scenario. You wouldn't know from the Michigan media, but the DeVos family, and Dick DeVos lock-step with them, are among the most prominent funders and fans of the religious right.
...The family money comes from Amway, the direct sales cleaning product company, which was founded by Dick DeVos' father, whose name is also Richard DeVos. Several other companies -- Alticor, Access Business Group LLC., Quixtar Inc. and Pyxis Innovations Inc - followed and son Dick DeVos served as CEO until 2002 when he retired. The family also owns the Orlando Magic.
...Richard and Helen DeVos (parents of candidate Dick Devos) through a Foundation that bears their name, fund Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, Coral Ridge Ministries, Foundation for Traditional Values, Traditional Values Coalition, Free Congress Foundation, Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, State Policy Network, Mackinac Center for Policy Research, as well as to the Republican Party. And we're not talking pocket change -- they are top, major funders.
Son and candidate Dick is married to Betsy DeVos, head of the Michigan Republican Party. Dick and Betsy DeVos, too, have a foundation...which bears their name and invests heavily in theocratic causes, supporting, in particular, school vouchers and religious educational training.
Also see:
Richard and Helen Devos Foundation
Richard and Helen Devos Foundation
