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Republicans call for resignation over Obamacare

Posted at 8:05 PM, Oct 22, 2013
and last updated 2013-10-22 20:07:04-04

(CNN) — Rep. Paul Ryan on Tuesday joined a growing list of Republicans who want Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to step down over rampant problems in the launch of Obamacare’s HealthCare.gov.

The 2012 vice presidential candidate was on a conference call with reporters Tuesday afternoon helping fellow Republican and Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli make the case against a Medicaid expansion in the state championed by Cuccinelli’s opponent, Democrat Terry McAuliffe.

Cuccinelli has already said that Sebelius should step down. When Ryan was asked if he felt the same way, he responded: “I do agree with that.”

“This rollout has been a fiasco,” the House Budget Committee chairman said, and “not just because they have bad tech,” but because the entirety of the law is flawed.

Sebelius gave members of Congress the impression the health care website’s launch would be flawless despite knowing otherwise, Ryan said.

“I think some people should be held responsible,” Ryan said.

Much of the call was devoted to Cuccinelli attempting to paint the differences between himself and McAuliffe. Cuccinelli, the Virginia attorney general, argued that his opponent has little experience and would drive the state to financial ruin by expanding Medicaid.

McAuliffe, a businessman and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, has accused Cuccinelli of tea party extremism. Two weeks before the election, he leads Cuccinelli by single digits.

–CNN’s Bryan Koenig contributed to this report.

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