Republican AGs Investigate "Cornhusker Kickback"

Ten of the nineteen Republican state attorneys general have signed on to provide a legal analysis of the "constitutionality of a controversial provision in the Senate bill and to explore potential legal challenges."

TexasGOPVote recently discussed that Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson was standing in the way of Senator Harry Reid getting the 60 votes needed to pass his health care bill. However, after numerous backroom meetings with Senator Reid, Obama, and Senator Boxer, Nelson was persuaded to vote for the bill.

Under the agreement — dubbed the “Nebraska Compromise” or the “Cornhusker Kickback” by GOP critics — Nebraska will get an exemption from the state share of Medicaid expansion, a carve out that is expected to cost the federal government $100 million over 10 years.

South Carolina GOP Attorney General Henry McMaster, who is leading the effort, said the intent is to determine whether Congress had the power to allot funds to Nebraska differently from other states.

“I think it’s unprecedented to have this use of federal power,” said McMaster. “We heard about it, read about it, decided something needed to be done about it.”

This special treatment of one state will come at the expense of 49 others. We're happy that the GOP AGs are looking into this, but do we really need an investigation to tell us this isn't okay? Shouldn't it be obvious?