Well, Republicans moved on from an earlier plan to have a hearing for Graham-Cassidy at which only Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy spoke. So there’s that. But the final list of witnesses for the hearing, to be held at 2 PM ET, contains some doozies.
In the credit where credit is due, or possibly the buckling to pressure category, Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, who faces kidney cancer, will testify. So will a lobbyist for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network—one of the many medical groups opposing the bill.
But the frothy one, Rick Santorum, failed senator, and failed presidential candidate? Okayyyy.
And check this witness out: Dennis Smith was a Medicaid head under George W. Bush.
Smith served for a time as secretary of Wisconsin Health Services under Gov. Scott Walker. That experience turned into a hot news story in Wisconsin, including allegations of an affair between Smith and an aide (he denied it) and an attempted murder charge filed against the husband of the female aide. He left in 2013 for a job with a Washington law firm.
Now he’s a “Senior Advisor for Medicaid and Health Care Reform” in Arkansas. So: George W. Bush, lobbyist (translation of “Washington law firm”), Wisconsin under Scott Walker, Arkansas.
For that matter, yes, his name is on the bill, but let’s not forget that a senior Republican aide told Axios that “If there was an oral exam on the contents of the proposal, graded on a generous curve, only two Republicans could pass it. And one of them isn't Lindsey Graham.”
The hearing is drawing plenty of interest:
Look for the Republicans involved to lie—Bill Cassidy especially is known for lying about his healthcare plans. Watch it here.
Call your senators at (202) 224-3121 and tell them to vote NO on any Obamacare repeal bill. Call before the hearing, call during the hearing, call after the hearing. Just call (202) 224-3121 and tell your senator NO. (After you call, please tell us how it went.)