Rand Paul is making waves today as he was just blocked from seeing the Obamacare draft that he says is behind lock and key in secure location, unavailable for him or the public to see.
First he blasted the House leadership in a tweetstorm for hiding the bill. Then he made his way to the secure location, with a portable copier in tow, in an effort to see the bill and make a copy of it.
But apparently he was physically blocked from getting to the bill:
KY Sen Rand Paul wheeled over a portable copy machine to McMorris Rodgers office in an effort to photocopy the health care bill
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) March 2, 2017
.@randpaul wasn't allowed to see the House GOP's Obamacare bill. Brought his own copy machine, just in case. pic.twitter.com/KpAXhfltsV
— Eli Yokley (@eyokley) March 2, 2017
.@RandPaul outside the "secret office for the secret bill." pic.twitter.com/fY8BAVqwvd
— Eli Yokley (@eyokley) March 2, 2017
Here’s video:
.@RandPaul was blocked from seizing a copy of the House GOP's Obamacare bill https://t.co/s6O5GQhaJR pic.twitter.com/hV5ROwsKFF
— POLITICO (@politico) March 2, 2017
Here’s the initial tweetstorm where he blasted the House leadership:
I have been told that the House Obamacare bill is under lock & key, in a secure location, & not available for me or the public to view.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017
@RandPaul This is unacceptable. This is the biggest issue before Congress and the American people right now.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017
@RandPaul What is the House leadership trying to hide? My guess is, they are trying to hide their "Obamacare Lite" approach.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017
@RandPaul Renaming and keeping parts of Obamacare, new entitlements and extending medicaid expansion are not the #FullRepeal we promised
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017
@RandPaul House and Senate passed repeal in 2015. They should keep their promises and bring them up again for a vote now
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017
@RandPaul I demand the House release the text of the bill. Every elected official & every American deserve to know what they're trying to do
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017
@RandPaul I will not vote for Obamacare Lite nor will many of my colleagues. We will keep our word. I call on House leaders to do the same
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017
@RandPaul And I call on them to make this process transparent and to let the sunshine in. Today.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017
I am heading to the secure location where they are keeping the House obamacare bill. I will demand a copy for the American people.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017
I thought the days of backroom deals and shenanigans were over. But it seems here that if Paul is being honest about this and not creating phony media theatrics, then little has changed.
Paul is absolutely right that this is a big deal and both House Republicans and Senators have a right to see it, as well as the public.
And I suspect he’s right about it being Obamacare lite, from all the reporting we’ve seen on this.
Ugh.