It could be worse, as Audrey Hudson can tell you.  All these insurers are getting are phone calls, not raids by the Maryland State Police seizing their notes on government malfeasance.  CNN’s Anderson Cooper reports that the insurers want to get the real story out about why millions of people will have their policies cancelled, and how they tried to warn HHS of this unnecessary outcome.  For now, they’re outsourcing the job to Robert Laszewski (via Daniel Halper):

“What is going on is, behind the scenes attempt by the White House to at least keep insurerers from publicly criticizing what is happening on this Affordable Care Act rollout. Basically, if you speak out, if you are quoted, you’re going to get a call from the White House, pressure to be quiet,” reports CNN.

“Several sources tell me and my colleague Chris Frates that insurance executives are being told to keep quiet. [The head of] a consulting firm for big insurance and an out spoken critic of Obamacare says he is getting calls from these executives who want him to speak out, Anderson, for them about the problems because they feel defenseless against the White House PR team. … the White House is exerting massive pressure on the industry, including the trade associations, to keep quiet. Sources telling us they fear White House retribution.”

Why are they so intimidated? Because the federal government is their biggest customer.  If that doesn’t point out the issues of crony capitalism and transparency on the uses and abuses of power, I’d hate to have to experience a clearer one.

By the way, I’ll have Audrey Hudson on my show this afternoon to give TEMS viewers a first-person perpective on real intimidation.  Maybe a few of these executives can watch and find their intestinal fortitude.