Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, the only republican to hold a top office in Missouri, says he intends to join officials from 13 other states in taking legal action against the federal health-care bill.

“This health-care directive will pose a huge financial burden for our state,” Kinder said. “Tennessee’s Governor, a Democrat, even called this bill ‘the mother of all unfunded mandates.’ The true cost to Missouri taxpayers remains to be seen.”

Kinder says he’s written letters opposing the measure to Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Gov. Nixon, also a democrat, to join him in opposition to the health-care bill. Kinder followed those requests by asking Attorney General Chris Koster, a democrat, to conduct a thorough legal review of the legislation to determine what provisions might violate the Constitution of the United States or the State of Missouri.

Kinder’s legal counsel says Koster has indicated he is looking into it, but has not stated whether he would file suit on the behalf of Missouri.

Kinder’s office says with or without Koster’s support, he’ll join officials of 13 other states in challenging the law by his “standing as a constitutional officer of the State of Missouri and by my statutory authority as Missouri’s Official Senior Advocate.”

AUDIO: Lt. Gov. Kinder news conference 6 min MP3

Please note the video stops about :30 before the end of the news conference (camera problem). The audio (link above) is complete.

Read the suit filed by Florida here.