Battle Lines Over Medicaid in Virginia Become Clearer

With the release of a new report today, Republicans in the House of Delegates drew a firm constitutional line against Governor Terry McAuliffe.The House, led by Republican Speaker William Howell, called in former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement to analyze Virginia’s constitution and statutory law.  They announced the results of that analysis in a press conference in Richmond today.  Here’s Speaker Howell:

In addition to Speaker Howell’s comments, Clement emphasized that money to expand Medicaid from the federal government would be classified, like state taxes, as “appropriations.”:

As Solicitor General, Clement argued cases for the government before the U.S. Supreme Court during President George W. Bush’s second term.  Speaker Howell said $25,000 in funds from the House of Delegates clerk’s office paid for the report.