Roberts's health law decision was ‘sleight of hand,’ says GOP lawmaker

Chief Justice John Roberts used a semantic "sleight of hand" when he upheld a key provision of President Obama's healthcare law, a GOP lawmaker said Tuesday.

Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), a member of the GOP Doctors Caucus, criticized Roberts during a call with reporters.

He focused on Roberts's interpretation of the individual mandate to buy health insurance as a tax.

"I think he's going to be second-guessed for a long, long time to come," Gingrey said.

"Had he ruled in the appropriate way to say this was clearly unconstitutional ... this whole thing would have crumbled. It would have fallen like a house of cards."

The comments reveal the raw feelings toward Roberts still held by many on the right.

The Bush-appointed chief justice sided with the court's liberals in the decision to uphold the law — an outcome that shocked conservatives.

Tuesday's call was organized by FreedomWorks, a prominent Tea Party group.

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