Rep. Louie Gohmert says the Supreme Court has “a lot to be embarrassed about” with its ruling that upheld Obamacare’s federal tax subsidies.
“As a former judge and chief justice, I am extremely embarrassed for them,” the Texas Republican said in an interview on Newsmax TV. “And unfortunately, when you’ve sold your soul, it’s kind of tough to even realize you should be embarrassed, but they should.”
A 6-3 decision released Thursday morning and authored by Chief Justice John Roberts ensures that consumers who have purchased and want to purchase health insurance through the federal exchange can continue doing so with the help of substantial federal subsidies.
The decision saved Obamacare, leaving conservatives and Republicans unhappy. According to Gohmert, the decision by the Supreme Court is a mistaken reading of the legislation that made it clear that people who buy insurance from the federal exchange can’t get federal subsidies.
“They intended these words. You’re not going to get one dime of subsidy unless you set up a state exchange. They meant if the law is unequivocal and then they realized, ‘Wow, most of these states don’t get along with it, they don’t agree with this, so wow, we better change the law,'” he said of Affordable Care Act’s authors.
So, now what?
For now, the law stays, Gohmert lamented, unless new leadership changes it.
“Hopefully if we either get new leadership or all of a sudden our current leadership grows some leadership ability, then we can start dismantling this thing until it’s gone,” he added.
