The inimitable Howie Carr, Boston Herald columnist and syndicated talk show host, is on the case of MIT economist/Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber and has written a priceless column outlining what may lie ahead for the man who considers American voters stupid.  You see, Gruber, in billing various states and the feds millions of dollars in consulting fees, included substantial time billed to research assistants.

Perhaps you recall Gruber’s appearance before a Congressional committee last month. Whenever he was asked about providing back-up documentation for his multi-million-dollar bills, Goober would squeak: “You’ll have to take that up with my attorney.”

Not his accountant, but his lawyer. Strange. I mean, according to Goober’s bills, he must have had dozens upon dozens of “research assistants.” In Vermont, where his house-of-cards microsimulation fell apart earlier this month, the state has paid him $80,000 for 800 hours of research by his, ahem, assistants, at $100 per hour. (The per-fesser himself charges $500 an hour.) (snip)

The Vermont state auditor (a Democrat) is likewise looking for the research assistants’ names, Social Security numbers, W-2’s, etc. Ditto, the (Republican) House Oversight and Government Reform committee. The Competitive Enterprise Institute has filed suit against Obama’s Department of Health and Human Services to get the federal documents. A state rep in Minnesota is demanding a full refund of the $329,000 the Democrat governor handed over to his fellow traveler. (Goober predicted the Minnesota Obamacare plan would have 500,000 subscribers by now; it has 70,000. How’s that microsimulation workin’ out for ya, St. Paul?)

I’m sure Goober figures he’s bulletproof. He’s one of the Beautiful People. He gave John Kerry $2,000, Obama $1,000 and Donald Berwick, a local single-payer Kool Aid guzzler, $100. That kind of dough buys a lot of protection in the corrupt, narcissistic circles Goober travels in.

But Goober’s also reaped massive paydays in states not under the control of the Democrat kleptocracy. Do you suppose Maine Gov. Paul LePage is going to give “subcontractor” Goober a pass? The governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker, wants to run for president. Do you think Goober’s scalp would look good on his belt as he campaigns in Iowa and New Hampshire?

Maybe Gruber can come up with the documentation needed to back up his bills.  For his sake, I hope so.  Because if he can’t, there are attorneys general in some of the states he billed (even if Eric Holder or his successor turns a blind eye) that might be interested in applying the fraud statutes.