Jonathan Gruber

FILE - In this May 12, 2009, file photo Jonathan Gruber, professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, participates in a Capitol Hill hearing on the overhaul of the heath care system in Washington. A supporter of the Affordable Care Act, Gruber says, "It's so crazy to think that a society that has Social Security and Medicare would not find this (law) constitutional." Gruber advised both the Obama administration and Massachusetts lawmakers as they developed the state mandate in the 2006 law that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney championed as governor. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

(Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The Republican caucus in the state Senate is calling for the Massachusetts Health Connector to remove MIT professor Jonathan Gruber from its board.

Gruber, an architect of the national Affordable Care Act under President Barack Obama and of the Massachusetts health care reform under Gov. Mitt Romney, has come under fire for comments he made saying that the lack of transparency in the national health care reform law "is a huge political advantage" and attributing its passage to "the stupidity of the American voter."

Gruber later apologized for his choice of words.

Republican state Sens. Bruce Tarr of Gloucester, Robert Hedlund of Weymouth, Richard Ross of Wrentham, and Donald Humason of Westfield wrote to Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat, asking him to remove Gruber from the board and sever any relationship between Gruber and the state.

"Professor Gruber's comments are not only in direct opposition to those of us who seek to expand public trust in government they call into question his ability to act impartially and in a manner that upholds the integrity of the Health Connector Board," the senators wrote. "Professor Gruber's advocacy for an ideology founded in deceit should have no place in our government."

They continued, "Professor Gruber's comments were reprehensible, repugnant and demonstrate a level of disdain for the American public that has no place in government and should not have any place on the Health Connector Board."

Asked last month if Gruber will remain on the board, the board's chairman, Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor, said when Gruber's term expires, "That will be a decision for somebody else at that time." Shor said the Health Connector's sole focus is preparing its new website for open enrollment, which is currently ongoing.

Connector spokesman Kim Haberlin, asked about Gruber on Nov. 17, said similarly that the Connector's focus continues to be getting the state health exchange website up and running well. "(Gruber's) apology was the appropriate course of action to take, and he's done that," Haberlin said.