Karl Rove accused Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of hypocrisy Thursday, saying his decision to exempt certain staff members from participating in Obamacare is totally opposite of what the Democratic leader said in September.
"He's one of the most outstanding members of Congress, when it comes to the category of hypocrisy," the Republican strategist who is also a Fox News contributor, said on the network's "America's Newsroom."
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Reid will allow leadership staff working for him in Washington to keep their current health benefits package rather than switching to plans being marketed on Obamacare insurance exchanges,
Fox News reported. His staff in Nevada, though, will still be required to enroll in Obamacare.
According to Fox, Reid is the only member of Congress allowing staff members to stay on their current health plan. The problem, Rove said, is Reid indicated otherwise when Congress was debating the issue earlier this year.
"He explicitly said in September, 'Don't worry about it. We don't need to vote on it. Everybody's going to be in the exchanges.' And, then he turns around and gives the top people around him a special benefit," Rove said.
The move amounts to a pay increase, Rove continued, adding that it is "unclear that the law allows him to do it."
He said by keeping their current plans, Reid's aides will save some $3,000 to $5,000 a year that they would otherwise have to contribute to help pay for coverage plan under Obamacare.