State lawmakers acknowledge lobbyists helped craft their op-eds attacking Medicare-for-all

Emails show opponents are mobilizing at local level to try to turn Americans away from big health-care changes

December 2, 2019 at 3:02 p.m. EST

A Montana-based consultant made extensive revisions to an op-ed published by a state senator, according to emails obtained by an advocacy group through a public records law request. (Jeff Stein)

Lobbyists either helped draft or made extensive revisions to opinion columns published by three state lawmakers in a way that suggested Medicare-for-all and other government involvement in health care posed dangers, according to emails obtained by The Washington Post.

Montana state Rep. Kathy Kelker (D) and Sen. Jen Gross (D) acknowledged in interviews that editorials they published separately about the single-payer health proposal included language provided by John MacDonald, a lobbyist and consultant in the state who disclosed in private emails that he worked for an unnamed client.