Sen. Ernst Claims the ACA “In the Court’s Hands” As She Rushes to Appoint a Lifetime Justice to Cast Deciding Vote to Strike it Down
Senator Joni Ernst *once again* refused to oppose the GOP’s lawsuit to strike down the Affordable Care Act that could gut coverage protections for pre-existing conditions and undo Medicaid expansion, according to a new report this morning from POLITICO.
Asked about the impacts of repealing the ACA, Ernst “did not take a position” – before making the dumbfounding claim that the decision is “in the court’s hands” as she simultaneously rushes to confirm an anti-ACA justice who could cast the deciding vote to strike down the health care law.
This is just the latest desperate health care dodge from Senator Ernst as she scrambles to cover up her votes that could have left Iowans even more vulnerable amid a pandemic. During Monday’s Senate debate, she repeatedly tried to avoid questions on her votes to gut coverage protections for pre-existing conditions and admitted she has no plan to protect health care if the GOP’s anti-ACA lawsuit is successful.
“Senator Ernst owns the GOP’s anti-ACA lawsuit from start to finish. The lawsuit was only made possible by a provision in Ernst’s reckless 2017 GOP tax scam, and now she’s rushing to stack the Supreme Court with an anti-ACA justice who could cast the deciding vote to strike it down,” said Jeremy Busch, Iowa Democratic Party spokesperson. “Despite her desperate cover-up, voters know that Senator Ernst has spent six years putting their health care on the line in order to protect the profits of Big Pharma and the insurance industry.”