Dig A Little, Find A Nugget

Take a look at this from today's Tribune-Review:

Contrary to President Obama's statements, ObamaCare hardly is “settled” and “here to stay,” as it faces numerous legal challenges in federal courts — including one that questions the constitutionality of its passage.

Sissel v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is now before the D.C. Court of Appeals, “a traditional stepping-stone to the U.S. Supreme Court,” The Washington Free Beacon reports.

We've seen this before, haven't we?  You do know where I'm going with this, don't you?

That's right, the Sissel case.  Where did it come from?

Here:

In early 2010, the federal government enacted the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Act), which forces every American to purchase government - approved health insurance coverage, or pay a fine. This legal requirement to buy health insurance is known as the “individual mandate,” and it is the target of a federal lawsuit filed by Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) on behalf of Iowa entrepreneur Matt Sissel. [Emphasis added.]

The Pacific Legal Foundation describes itself as:

Established in1973, Pacific Legal Foundation is the oldest and most successful public interest legal organization that fights for limited government, property rights, individual rights and a balanced approach to environmental protection.

And:

Pacific Legal Foundation is devoted to a vision of individual freedom, responsible government, and color-blind justice.

And so on.

Now let's talk money.  According to the Bridgeproject,The Pacific Legal Foundation has received $12,089,270 in foundation money since 1985.  Of that 12 million, more than a third ($4.355 million or 36%) came from foundations controlled by the editor and publisher of the Tribune-Review, Richard Mellon Scaife.  Interestingly enough, for the first decade after 1985, Scaife was responsible for an even larger percentage of PLF funding.  In that decade, the PLF received $2.112 million in foundation money and a solid 70% ($1.48 million) came from Carthage and Sarah Scaife foundations.

Such solid financial connections between the Scaife foundations and the legal foundation his newspaper is discussing.  And yet no discussion of any of those connections.

 This is how the right wing noise machine works.