Calvey jumps into national health care fracas
Republican congressional candidate Kevin Calvey is announcing today he and others are filing a lawsuit to block the national health care bill.
Calvey, an attorney, and several others, including his wife and Oklahoma County District 2 Commissioner Brian Maughan, are filing a lawsuit in Oklahoma City federal court against President Barack Obama and others in his administration.
Calvey, a contender in the 5th Congressional District race, will talk about his suit today at the state Capitol.
His lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the health care law, which Obama signed into law late last month. Among other things, the lawsuit claims the law forces Americans to buy health care coverage or face federal penalties.
“Several of my fellow Republican leaders in Oklahoma have called on our attorney general, Drew Edmondson, to join other states in filing suit to stop President Obama’s health care law,” Calvey said in a statement. “But the attorney general seems to be ignoring his duty to protect Oklahoma taxpayers, refusing to file suit against President Obama to declare the law unconstitutional. As an American citizen and a taxpayer, I’m filing suit to challenge the constitutionality of President Obama’s health care law on behalf of my fellow Oklahomans.”
Edmondson, a Democrat, has assigned 15 attorneys in his office to review the lengthy bill, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office, said Wednesday.
About 20 states have filed lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the national health care legislation.
Calvey, a former state representative from Del City, said he “can’t just sit by and do nothing like our current attorney general.”
Calvey is seeking the seat held by U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin, R-Oklahoma City. Fallin, who like other Republicans voted against the national health care bill, is not seeking re-election to run for governor.
Other Republican contenders for the seat are state Reps. Shane Jett of Tecumseh and Mike Thompson of Oklahoma City, James Lankford of Edmond, Rick Flanigan of Bethany and Dr. Johnny Roy of Edmond.
Democrats Tom Guild of Edmond and Billy Coyle of Oklahoma City are also seeking the post. Clark Duffe, an independent from Edmond, also is a contender.
- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or follow this blog's RSS and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
Finally! Thank you Mr. Calvey for representing the voters of Oklahoma. All 77 Counties of Oklahoma supported the Republicans in the 2008 election. Someone should support our views, we are definitly against this horrific piece of legislation!!! We want it repealed and replaced with something that won’t bankrupt our Country.
God Bless you for taking a stand.
What a waste of time and money. It’s easy politics for a hopeless cause. Face it, health care passed constitutionally with a super majority and according to most all experts, these lawsuits have very, very little traction.
Don’t worry little guy, we all know your running!