GOP Straight Up Bribes Democratic Senator In Effort To Block Obamacare

The Republican Party in Virginia has resorted to what appears to be outright bribery in its ongoing effort to deny low-income residents in the state access to the Medicaid expansion authorized by Obamacare.

The Washington Post reported Sunday that Republicans offered to move Democratic state Sen. Phillip P. Puckett and his daughter into prestigious jobs in exchange for Puckett’s resignation, which will flip the chamber into Republican hands. Puckett officially accepted the offer on Monday, but then appeared to back away amid a public outcry.

The Senate was on course to pass an expansion of Medicaid, as the law allows, while the House of Delegates, in GOP hands, aimed to block it. In such a scenario, Democrats hoped that Republicans would be blamed for the resulting government shutdown. With Republicans in control of both chambers, Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) must now veto the GOP budget in order to force a showdown over Medicaid.

The apparent quid pro quo has sent Democrats railing.

“It’s astounding to me. The House Republican caucus will do anything and everything to prevent low-income Virginians from getting healthcare … They figure the only way they could win was to give a job to a state senator,” Delegate Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax) told The Washington Post. “At least they can’t offer Terry McAuliffe a job. I hope Terry continues to stand up to these bullies.”

McAuliffe campaigned on the promise of Medicaid expansion in 2013. Since his election, Republicans have attempted to stonewall his attempts to bring coverage to 400,000 uninsured Virginians, prompting the governor to explore options for expanding Medicaid without the approval of the state legislature.

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