Joe Olivo

Joe Olivo is a small business owner and a member of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), which was the lead plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court challenge to the Affordable Care Act. He has been interviewed on multiple news outlets as an example of a small-business owner who is concerned about the effects of the Affordable Care Act, but he has not identified himself as a member (and unofficial spokesperson) of the NFIB.

Olivo and the ACA
Olivo is a high profile member of the NFIB, a highly partisan front group masquerading as a representative of small businesses. The NFIB has received millions from Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS and has strong ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC.

Joe Olivo has been quoted by both NPR and NBC News as a representative small business owner concerned that the ACA will make him reluctant to hire more employees. Neither NPR nor NBC disclosed Olivo's relationship with the lead plaintiff in the challenge to ACA. Viewers and listeners were given the impression that Olivo was a randomly selected, disinterested small businessman.

Media Appearances
Joe Olivo has made multiple media appearances, and often does not identify as a member and spokesperson for NFIB.

Olivo testified against the Affordable Care Act before House and Senate committees in January 2011.

Olivo spoke with Fox Business Network about the Affordable Care Act.

Olivo appeared again on Fox Business, talking to John Stossel about the Affordable Care Act.

Olivo also appeared on a New Jersey Fox affiliate talking about the Affordable Care Act.

In addition to his appearances to talk about the Affordable Care Act, Olivo has been on Fox and MSNBC opposing the idea of raising the minimum wage, saying that as a small business owner an increase in the minimum wage would make him less likely to hire more employees. On July 8, 2012, he was interviewed on All Things Considered on NPR to discuss a bill that would raise the minimum wage. He was not identified as being with NFIB; However, in the same interview, his colleague Bill Dunkelberg was identified as such.

On July 13, 2012, NPR's Ombudsman, Edward Schumacher-Matos, addressed this issue.