NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – State House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada, a staunch opponent of Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposal to extend health coverage to 200,000 low-income Tennesseans, on Friday decried what he called “dishonest scare tactics” by a conservative group running radio ads targeting GOP lawmakers.
The Tennessee chapter of the Americans for Prosperity, the organization backed by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, this week began running a 60-second radio ad accusing Republican state Rep. Kevin Brooks of Cleveland of “betraying” a promise to oppose President Barack Obama’s health care law.
Casada said the groups should spend their time opposing liberal lawmakers and “not dedicated individuals like Rep. Kevin Brooks and the other conservative members of our Republican Caucus who have chosen to seek additional input before making a decision on behalf of their constituents.”
Haslam has called a special legislative session to start on Feb. 2 to take up his proposal, which he calls a market-based approach to covering more people and lowering health care costs.
The Republican governor has launched a statewide tour to promote his Insure Tennessee plan, which is causing heartburn among some in his party because it would draw on money available under Obama’s health care law.