The Democratic push-back against the GOP-led bid to challenge the constitutionality of health-care reform is gaining steam.
Virginia Democrats announced today that they’ve filed a Freedom of Information Act request with Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, seeking information on the amount of taxpayer money being spent on the lawsuit Cuccinelli filed yesterday, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Cuccinelli declined to join a lawsuit filed by 13 other AGs yesterday, seeking to have the health-care reform bill declared unconstitutional. Instead, he filed his own similar suit.
At a press conference, State Sen. Doald McEachin accused the AG of pushing “a right wing agenda” with the approval of Gov. Bob McDonnell, and blasted Cuccinelli for devoting time to a suit that is”doomed to fail.” We gave our own detailed assessment of the lawsuit’s (slim) chances of success here.
In their request, the Democrats asked for information not just on the lawsuit’s cost, but also on any co-ordination between Cuccinelli’s office and the other AGs, or national conservative groups. They also want Cuccinelli’s full schedule since taking office.
The news comes as McDonnell prepares this afternoon to sign a bill that prohibits Virginians from having to buy health insurance. Because it directly conflicts with the mandate in the federal law, the state legislation is almost certainly unconstitutional.
The U.S. Justice Department has said that it will “vigorously defend” the constitutionality of the health-care reform law.
