A conservative group Wednesday delivered what it said was a petition signed by more than 10,000 Coloradans in favor of Attorney General John Suthers’ decision to join a lawsuit challenging the new federal health care reform law.
If so, Americans for Prosperity would have collected more signatures than the number of people said to have signed a petition delivered to Suthers this month opposing the attorney general’s actions.
Suthers said last month that he was joining with a dozen attorneys general in suing over the health care bill. Only one of the attorneys general is a Democrat.
The lawsuit challenges the mandate that all individuals have health insurance, which the attorneys general contend is a violation of the 10th Amendment to the Constitution giving states the powers not delegated to the federal government.
Americans for Prosperity Colorado dropped off the petitions Wednesday at Suthers’ downtown office, saying more than 10,700 Coloradans had signed them.
The petition applauds Suthers’ “courage and conviction in helping the people of Colorado say ‘NO’ to an over-reaching, unchecked federal government that has forgotten its place, role and enumerated powers.”
This month, 33 Democratic lawmakers called Suthers’ plan politically motivated. The liberal group ProgressNow got more than 8,000 signatures opposing the effort.
Tim Hoover: 303-954-1626 or thoover@denverpost.com
