NASHVILLE - Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, today opened the door to hiring outside counsel for the state if Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper won't challenge the constitutionality of the new federal health care law in court.
"We're taking it a step at a time," Lt. Gov. Ramsey, the state Senate speaker, told reporters after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 6-2 on a resolution urging Attorney General Cooper to file a lawsuit against the new health care law recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama.
"If he (Cooper) refuses, then you look at the next step," Lt. Gov. Ramsey said. "I don't know what that'll be right now. But I think we would have power to hire an outside counsel if we come to that point. But hopefully he'll look at this."
In Georgia, Gov. Sonny Perdue has said he wants to retain an independent counsel in light of the refusal by Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker, a Democrat, to join other state attorneys general, most of them Republican, who are suing over the law.
Mr. Cooper, who formerly served as chief legal counsel to Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen prior to his appointment as state attorney general, had no immediate comment.
On Tuesday, he issued a legal opinion questioning the constitutionality of a bill that wants to challenge the federal law. The bill says Tennesseans can ignore the federal mandates they obtain insurance and directs Mr. Cooper to defend them in court.