La. Senate candidates spar over Gruber-gate

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) sparred Monday over Jonathan Gruber — the former Obamacare adviser who made headlines earlier this year for saying it was the “stupidity of the American voter” that helped the Obama administration pass the Affordable Care Act.

{mosads}When each candidate got to ask the other a question, Cassidy asked Landrieu when she knew the administration was being deceitful in passing Obamacare, as suggested by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggested in recently uncovered remarks, and if she’d vote for it again. 

“If he didn’t have this issue to talk about he wouldn’t have any issue to talk about,” Landrieu responded. “That’s all he has talked about this whole campaign.”

Landrieu argued that “the law is not perfect and needs to be improved,” but said it’s a “better system than what we had.”

She also argued that it was based on conservative principles put forth by the Heritage Foundation and former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney. 

Cassidy fired back that Landrieu wouldn’t answer when she knew that the Obama administration was deliberately deceiving the public in an effort to pass the law.

Landrieu pivoted back to her allegations that Cassidy wrongly billed Louisiana State University for work he did while as a congressman.

“It’s hearbreaking to me that he would claim to be a doctor for the poor, but when they come to him he closes the door and then he pads his own paycheck with their money,” she said. “It is really, really outrageous and I hope that people will look into that record.”

“My question was unanswered,” Cassidy responded.