The Hill News

A group of Republican governors sent a letter Wednesday to President Obama urging him to ask the Justice Department to support an expedited verdict on the administration's healthcare reform legislation.

The letter, signed by 28 Republican governors, comes a week after a Florida federal judge ruled that the law's individual mandate is unconstitutional. Soon after the ruling, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) offered a resolution making the same request.

Both Nelson and the governors argue that the case against the law's constitutionality will go all the way to the Supreme Court, so it might as well happen sooner than later.

"We should not endure years of litigation in the circuit courts, when the Supreme Court can promptly provide finality," the letter reads. "This resolution can help prevent the states and the private sector from undertaking potentially unnecessary measures and expenses."

Many legal observers say the legislation will p! robably end up before the Supreme Court and the final decision will come down to the swing vote of Justice Anthony Kennedy to decide on whether the law is unconstitutional.

Also on Wednesday, 73 House Democrats demanded that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recuse himself from the case (if it reaches the Supreme Court) because of his wife's connection to efforts to repeal the law. And Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah)  has said Justice Elena Kagan should not take part in the case since she worked at DoJ during the administration's discussions on the law.

Read the letter here.