Gregoire seeks to counter suit challenging healthcare

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire is joining three fellow Democratic governors in asking a federal judge to consider their opposition to a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the nation's new healthcare law. The lawsuit filed in March by 13 state attorneys-general challenges the new law's requirements that everyone purchase health insurance and that states expand Medicaid coverage for the poor. The decision of Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna to join the lawsuit infuriated Gregoire, who argued Republican McKenna's position doesn't represent the state's interests. Democratic governors Bill Ritter of Colorado, Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania found themselves in similar arguments with Republican attorneys-general in their states. On Wednesday, they teamed up with Gregoire to seek permission to file a friend-of-the-court, or amicus, brief in a Florida federal court. They want to file the brief in support of the Obama administration's motion to dismiss the lawsuit.