Walker Meets GOP 2016 Presidential Primary Litmus Test with Health Exchange Decision, Fails Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Scott Walker entered the 2016 Republican Party presidential primary by refusing to do his job and rejecting a state-based health care exchange under the federal Affordable Health Care Act. Walker’s actions represent the governor’s shameful partisan political scheming in the hopes of higher office, according to One Wisconsin Now.

“Gov. Walker decided that his chances for higher office in the tea party-controlled Republican Party are more important than doing his job,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. “Wisconsin knows that Gov. Walker wants big insurance companies to be allowed to deny people with pre-existing conditions access to care because big insurance owns Scott Walker.

Walker, who refused to act for months in setting up a state-based exchange for Wisconsin under President Obama’s historic plan to increase access and reduce costs for health care, made his announcement he would rely on the federal government to set up exchanges for Wisconsin Friday morning.

“Bowing to right-wing fringe extremists isn’t new for Scott Walker, but this is a clear signal that raw partisan politics and not simple human decency are behind the decisions Scott Walker makes as governor,” said Ross. “Scott Walker wants health care reform to fail because he thinks it’s the best thing for his political future.”

Walker has already wasted untold amounts of money by dispatching Attorney General JB Van Hollen to join the failed lawsuit to try and overturn health care reform. A One Wisconsin Now investigation showed that Van Hollen’s office was in communication with the Republican State Leadership Committee for guidance on the lawsuit. The RSLC is one of the nation’s largest political action committees, with assets well over $50 million. The RSLC spent heavily in races across Wisconsin during Walker’s tenure to try and elect Republicans to office, and has contributed $10,000 directly to Van Hollen.

“Scott Walker just delivered an elbow to Paul Ryan’s well-toned abdomen for 2016,” said Ross. “And a throat punch to any Republican talking heads who have spun that Walker cares about the people of Wisconsin.”