‘Political’ moves renew talk of a Healey run for Corner Office in ’18

Oct. 15--Attorney General Maura Healey's latest lawsuit against the Trump administration has some political analysts speculating that she's padding her resume for a 2018 gubernatorial run, even though she insists she's not eyeing a challenge to Gov. Charlie Baker.

Healey Friday filed a lawsuit to halt President Trump's executive order that would cease cost-sharing payments to health insurance companies aimed at covering poor Americans. The move marked at least the seventh time Healey has responded to a controversial White House move with a lawsuit.

"It's all so political," former GOP New Hampshire House Speaker Gene Chandler said of Healey's legal challenges. "I would be very discouraged if the attorney general of New Hampshire did those types of things. We had one who did -- but he's not there anymore."

Chandler added, "Here's an elected official ... using her office for political purposes. It's quite clear to me, it's pretty obviously political."

But Democratic strategist Scott Ferson said Healey's broad legal attacks on the Trump administration are "exactly the right way to get at Donald Trump" and could "absolutely" set her up as a stark contrast to Baker should she decide to throw her hat in the ring.

"She's meeting action with action and that's pretty powerful," Ferson said.

Healey has filed or joined at least six recent lawsuits against the Trump administration, with a handful of regulatory moves and other statements pushing back at White House policies. In January, she filed a lawsuit against Trump's travel ban and in recent months signed onto a legal brief sent to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is taking up the controversial executive order.

In lawsuits filed in April and June, Healey sued Trump's Department of Energy for stalling critical energy efficiency standards.

In September, Healey and 15 other attorneys general sued the government for Trump's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which was established by former President Barack Obama to let young people whose parents brought them into the country illegally live and work in the U.S. She also sued the government over a delay to vehicle emissions standards.

In just the past two weeks, Healey sued the Trump administration for rolling back Obama­care's prescription contraceptives mandate and for ending the cost-sharing payments to insurers -- a move she called a "sabotage of the Affordable Care Act."

But despite the speculation, Healey has insisted she's not running for governor, saying in a television interview in August she has "absolutely" ruled it out.

Though Chandler was quick to point out "there's a lot of time before 2018."

"She's probably just feeling out the waters," he said.

Ferson said her willingness to take on Trump would play well among Bay State voters, should Healey change her mind.

"As a Democrat I think it's the right thing to do. After all, this is Massachusetts," he said. "People are going to be with her."

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