Russian Trolls Tapped Into Health Law Rhetoric To Sow Discord, Pitting Sides Against Each Other

It's not just hot-button topics like vaccinations that are exploited by the Russian trolls. Substantive health policy issues have been hijacked as well. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office says that if the House delays or repeals certain parts of the health law -- such as the employer mandate -- it would cost more than $50 billion.

The Wall Street Journal: Nearly 600 Russia-Linked Accounts Tweeted About The Health Law

On the March 23 anniversary of the Affordable Care Act becoming law, Democrats attacked Republicans for trying to sabotage the health law and praised the embattled legislation. So did Russian trolls. “8 years ago today, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. Millions of Americans have gained access to health care. Thank you, Mr. President!” said a tweet linked to the Internet Research Agency, a Russian company engaged in an online influence campaign that typically seeks to pit one side against the other on controversial issues. (Armour and Overberg, 9/12)

The Hill: CBO: House GOP Bill Delaying Key Parts Of ObamaCare Will Cost Over $50 Billion

House GOP legislation that would delay or repeal certain parts of ObamaCare will cost $51.6 billion over the next decade, according to a new government analysis. The report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released Tuesday comes as the House plans to vote on the legislation later this week. (Weixel, 9/11)

And former President Barack Obama's numbers are fact checked —

The Associated Press Fact Check: Obama Doesn't Always Tell The Straight Story

Former President Barack Obama's recent denunciation of President Donald Trump's treatment of the press overlooks the aggressive steps the Justice Department took to keep information from the public during his administration. Obama also made a problematic claim that Republican "sabotage" has cost 3 million people their health insurance. With his return to the political donnybrook on behalf of Democrats in the November elections, Obama has brought a once-familiar style back into the discourse. It's measured, nuanced and distinct from the torrent of misstatements from Trump. That doesn't mean Obama always tells the story straight. (9/12)

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