WhatFinger

Bribery of Public Officials

Nebraskans on Sen. Ben Nelson’s Healthcare sellout: “Sue us!”


By Judi McLeod ——--December 22, 2009

Cover Story | CFP Comments | Reader Friendly | Subscribe | Email Us


image "Equality before the law" may be the state motto for Nebraska, but some Nebraskans are asking for sister states to sue the Cornhusker state. "Is there anyone out there that will sue the State of Nebraska and/or Senators Ben Nelson and Harry Reid?" asks Patricia Rief-Heskett of Omaha. UPDATE: 12/31/09 13 state AGs threaten suit over health care deal The chairman of Nebraska's Republican Party declared Nelson's decision to be the end of his political career in Nebraska, and within hours of Nelson's announcement, the state GOP launched a Web site, , to collect funds to oust the Democrat in the 2012 election. (givebentheboot.com)

Nelson obtained increased federal funds to cover his state's cost of covering an expanded Medicaid population at what one Democratic official estimated at $45 million over a decade. Nelson isn't taking the backlash lying down. "This is all orchestrated," Nelson said Sunday. "It's so thinly disguised ... it's almost laughable.” While Sen. Nelson has become "Ben the Cornhuckster" by making himself the 60th vote needed to advance ObamaCare, some Nebraskans want a lawsuit launched against their home state. "The deal the senator made for the State of Nebraska is against the law and against the Constitution,” says Rief-Heskett. "Why should the state of Nebraska not have to pay for the unfunded mandate of Medicaid and all the other states have to pay for Nebraska's portion?" And the Omahans has crossed all of her 'ts' and dotted all of her 'i's. "Our Constitution states in Article 1, Section 9: `No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of one State over those of another'. "Article 4, Section 4 states: `The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a Republican form of Government'. Also under our US code Title 18 201 Titled Bribery of Public Officials and Witnesses: Section B reads, `Whoever directly or indirectly, corruptly gives, offers or promises anything of value to any public official (officials is defined as a member of Congress, Delegate or Resident Commissioner) or any person who has been selected to be a public official, or offers or priorises any public official or any person who has been selected to be a public official to give anything of value to any person or entity with intent (a) to influence any official act; or (b) to influence such public official or person who has been selected to be a public official to commit or aid in committing, or colluding, or ally any fraud or make opportunity for the commission of any fraud on the United States.” As the Constitution is clear on the commission of any fraud in the making laws, Rief-Heskett is asking "Where is the outrage against this practice of buying votes with such as the deal Sen. Nelson made with Sen. Reid for the 60th vote for this health care bill on the Senate floor?" Washington, DC politicians may have been up to 1 a.m. Monday to nudge the health bill forward, but some Nebraskans are up all night trying to turn the tide against Christmas Eve legislated Obamacare. "Is there not one person out there who will file a suit,” asks Rief-Heskett. "Or are we just to sit by and watch all of our freedoms taken away to live in a country with no laws that has only to abide by a Congress who would buy out votes whether or not it is lawful?” Meanwhile, with Christmas Eve just two days away they're over at the White House puffing up the red ribbons on a package that will socialize medicine in America. Update:

10 Red States Now Questioning Nelson Deal

By KATHARINE Q. SEELEYE At least 10 states are now raising questions about the legality of the deal that Senator Ben Nelson, a Democrat, cut for his home state of Nebraska during the health care negotiations. Under the agreement, which is on the verge of being approved Thursday by the Senate, Nebraska is permanently exempt from paying for its expansion of Medicaid, shoving that cost onto taxpayers in every other state. Mr. Nelson was able to exercise such leverage because in exchange, he was providing the magical 60th vote that Democrats needed to advance their health care bill. More...

Top SC prosecutor, others probing health care deal

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The top prosecutors in seven states are probing the constitutionality of a political deal that cut a funding break for Nebraska in order to pass a federal health care reform bill, South Carolina's attorney general said Tuesday. Attorney General Henry McMaster said he and his counterparts in Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, North Dakota, Texas and Washington state — all Republicans — are jointly taking a look at the deal they've dubbed the "Nebraska compromise." "The Nebraska compromise, which permanently exempts Nebraska from paying Medicaid costs that Texas and all other 49 states must pay, may violate the United States Constitution — as well as other provisions of federal law," Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said More...

Support Canada Free Press

Donate


Subscribe

View Comments

Judi McLeod—— -- Judi McLeod, Founder, Owner and Editor of Canada Free Press, is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years’ experience in the print and online media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared throughout the ‘Net, including on Rush Limbaugh and Fox News.

Sponsored