Gibbons eyes health overhaul lawsuit, calls plan ‘sick’

staff and wire reports

Monday, March 22, 2010 | 1 p.m.

Gov. Jim Gibbons is renewing his call for the attorney general to challenge the constitutionality of President Barack Obama's health care legislation passed by Congress.

Gibbons spokesman Daniel Burns says the Republican governor believes it's unconstitutional for the federal government to require citizens to buy health insurance.

Burns says if Democratic Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto declines to challenge the law, the administration will consider its own action.

Gibbons released a statement this afternoon saying "The Reid/Pelosi health plan is sick."

“What if the federal government forced you to buy a car or a television set then threatened you with IRS fines if you didn’t obey?”, Gibbons said in a statement. “That’s what they are doing with this health care debacle, the federal government has no right to force anyone to buy health insurance and the federal government has no business butting in to the relationship between a patient and their doctor.”

Gibbons added, “And don’t forget that this is the same Reid/Pelosi Health Care bill that was hammered out in the back rooms of the Senate where Senator Reid sold Nevada out and made other shady deals to buy enough votes to pass the bill.”

Republican attorneys general in at least 10 states said Monday they have agreed to file a lawsuit challenging the health care overhaul as soon the president signs the bill, which could come as early as Tuesday.