Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto has refused to join the suit against the Health Care Law that President Obama signed late last month. Cortez Masto wrote in a letter to the Governor, “In my professional judgment, joining the litigation filed by 14 other states, as you have suggested, is not warranted by existing law at this time.” Governor Jim Gibbons has moved on without her, however, and hired Mark Hutchison from the Las Vegas law firm of Hutchison & Steffen as Special Legal Counsel to the Governor. Mr. Hutchison will be working pro-bono on the case. Gibbons is quoted, “The arrogance of this Administration to force all Nevadans to purchase something (health insurance from private companies) or face IRS penalties is outrageous and wrong.”
It’s curious that Gibbons is finally on the popular side of an issue in Nevada. Just two years ago his approval rating was hovering around 10%. Since taking up the gauntlet on the Health Care Law his approval rating has gone up, putting him in the very unlikely position of actually being a competitive candidate for reelection.