Gruber Tells House ‘Take It Up with My Counsel’ on Doc Requests

Jonathan Gruber declared “take it up with my counsel” when he was asked if he would provide copies of ACA-related work products he gave to the federal government by Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) before the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday. 

After Chaffetz asked Gruber for the documents, he responded “take that up with my counsel,” Chaffetz refused to drop the issue telling Gruber “we’re asking you.” Once again, Gruber responded that the committee should “take it up with my counsel.”

Chaffetz again asked “Why won’t you give those to us?” Gruber then informed Chaffetz that he was “not an expert” on disclosure rules. Chaffetz then tried a different angle, asking who owned the documents and who paid for them, and Gruber told him that he didn’t know.

The questioning then turned to whether Gruber would provide copies of work product that he did at the state level and he once again deferred to his lawyers. Chaffetz then broadened his request to copies of communications between Gruber and federal state officials on the ACA and was told to talk to Gruber’s lawyers.

After Chaffetz again asked why Gruber felt he had the right to not turn the documents over, Gruber claimed ignorance of disclosure rules. Chaffetz then asked “do you have documents?” To which he was told “Yeah I have documents…I have all sorts of documents, I have a piece of paper in front of me,” a comment that seemed to visibly irk Chaffetz, but he did admit that the work product from his grant work with the federal government was in his possession, but claimed he didn’t know the rules and Chaffetz should “take that up with my counsel.” The discussion concluded with Chaffetz declaring the process “terribly frustrating.”

(h/t RNC Research)

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