Linda McMahon outlines plans to dismantle Department of Education, faces WWE taunts at lively confirmation hearing

She came ready to throw down.Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon faced hecklers who invoked her World Wrestling Entertainment days and tough questions about her plans to abolish the department as she entered the political arena Thursday for a Senate confirmation hearing.“Can you hear what Linda McMahon is cooking? It’s a world without IDEA! [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act],” one demonstrator fumed as the former WWE co-founder began her opening remarks.That was a reference to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s catchphrase during his WWE run, when he’d ask audiences, “Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?” Capitol Police was forced to yank that disruptor out of the room.McMahon, 76, who previously led the Small Business Administration during the first Trump administration, has called for shifting IDEA under the Department of Health and Human Services amid her goal of eliminating the Department of Education.During a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) hearing, lawmakers peppered her with questions about the future of the department given both her and President Trump’s desire to see it abolished.Despite rumors of the Trump administration eyeing executive actions or other avenues to eliminate the department, McMahon clarified that she believes Congress would have to support it.

“We’d like to make sure that we are presenting a plan that I think our senators could get on board with, and our Congress could get on board with, that would have a better functioning Department of Education,” McMahon explained, adding that eliminating it “certainly does require congressional action.”She vowed to preserve certain key programs such as Title I funding for low-income institutions, Pell Grants and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.Trump, 78, has called the Department of Education a “con job” and said that his goal is for McMahon “to put herself out of a job.”Multiple senators asked McMahon about the impact...