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Fed. Appeals Court Won't Reinstate Kinder's Suit Against Federal Health Care Law

Mo. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, pictured here in 2010.
(St. Louis Public Radio)
Mo. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, pictured here in 2010.

Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder has lost another round in his battle against President Obama’s federal health care law.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that the Republican Lt. Governor has no legal standing to file suit because the Affordable Care Act poses no immediate threat to Kinder’s legally protected interests.  He filed suit two years ago as an individual, not in his official capacity as Lt. Governor.  The three-judge panel’s ruling did not address the constitutionality of the federal health care law, most of which was upheld last year in a 5-4 ruling by the U-S Supreme Court.

In a statement, Kinder says the battle’s not over yet, and that he’s “studying other options to fight Obamacare.”

Kinder is seeking a third term in office as Missouri Lt. Governor.  His challengers:  former State Auditor and state Democratic Party Chair Susan Montee (D), former Republican State House member Cynthia Davis, now with the Constitution Party, and Libertarian Party nominee Matthew Copple.

Marshal was a political reporter for St. Louis Public Radio until 2018.