Bernero: Rein in Cox, Stop Spending Tax Money on Health Reform Lawsuit

Lansing mayor Virg Bernero has urged Michigan House of Representatives Speaker Andy Dillon to help save taxpayer dollars by investigating Attorney General Mike Cox’s lawsuit to block the new health care reform legislation. Bernero, who has declared his candidacy for the Governor’s seat, claims that Cox is needlessly wasting state resources by joining a federal lawsuit aimed at blocking a new law that would benefit Michigan residents. According to Bernero, Dillon should use his leadership position to direct the Appropriations Committee to request a complete accounting of the direct and indirect costs of the lawsuit to Michigan taxpayers.

Opponents of health care reform, who are ordinarily complaining about the large number of supposedly frivolous lawsuits, have filed their own federal suit to prevent the implementation of the recently-passed landmark health care bill. If they are successful, millions of Americans could be denied access to badly needed care and treatment. Dillon and the Appropriations Committee have the authority to hold Cox accountable for his part in the lawsuit, and to force him to justify his position to Michigan taxpayers.