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A group of 13 Senate Democrats want the U.S. Department of Education to discharge federal student loans for some current and former students of Corinthian Colleges. In a letter to Arne Duncan, the Senators urged immediate discharges for any borrowers who are covered by lawsuits filed by federal and state agencies against the troubled for-profit chain, which is being dismantled.
The group, which includes Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, said the department has the legal authority to forgive loans when students have legal claims against their colleges. They said lawsuits in California and Massachusetts directly relate to lending to Corinthian students, as well as to the education they received.
Kent Jenkins, a spokesman for Corinthian, said it would be unjust for the federal government to act on unproven allegations that are being contested in court. "Their letter argues that court is an unnecessary formality," he said in a written statement, "and its disregard for basic fairness and due process is deeply troubling."
