Ex-senator who derided student loan relief blew $1.3M in college money on parties: report

A Republican former senator who billed himself as a fiscal conservative reportedly spent $1.3 million on lavish parties and other expenses for himself and top brass, according to a report.

Former Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska was a hardcore fiscal conservative who spoke out against widespread student loan forgiveness — making it clear in a 2022 interview that he thought it was a waste of money.

President Joe Biden's loan forgiveness plan, which the Supreme Court ultimately struck down, forcing him to adopt a more modest, piecemeal proposal, "just baptized the most broken parts of higher ed," Sasse complained at the time. He added that, "Fundamentally, our American higher education system is broken. It’s not serving nearly enough people, and those who do attend, well enough."

Sasse later resigned from the Senate to be appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as president of the University of Florida system. While in that role, the fiscal conservative spent $1.3 million on various lavish parties and social functions for himself and higher-ups, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

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That figure, reported Garrett Shanley, went to "private catering for lavish dinners, football tailgates and extravagant social functions" — including a sushi bar with two dedicated chefs, which cost nearly $40,000.

"The guest list that night included UF’s top brass and officials with the university’s fundraising foundation, who solicit big checks for education programs from wealthy donors," said the report. "With a student choir caroling in the background, Sasse personally welcomed guests as they arrived at the old president’s mansion on campus, and later toasted them from two open bars serving unlimited alcohol. The bill for the liquor alone was listed as $7,061."

Sasse resigned as university president in July, citing family health issues.

The public higher education system in Florida has been transformed over the past few years by DeSantis' attempt to stamp his ideology on who is hired, what they can teach, and what they spend their money on. At the Sarasota-based New College of Florida, DeSantis stacked the leadership with far-right strategists like Chris Rufo, dismantled the tenure system, and threw the school's curriculum and housing into chaos, to the point even the GOP-dominated legislature warned him to rein things in.