A defiant Congressman Steve Kagen charged today that "the insurance industry" is behind a misinformation campaign that included what he called organized protests at two town hall meetings in his district this week.

Kagen, a twice-elected Dem from Appleton targeted by Republicans next year, was harassed by hundreds of protesters at his health care forums in Green Bay and Appleton.

He called the protests "very well organized."

"I couldn't have organized it better," he told a Wisconsin Public Radio call-in program this morning. "I believe some people are being frightened (with misinformation) ... The first casualty of war is truth."

Later, asked if he would continue to fight for the so-called public option, Kagen declared, "You can count on it. I can't be bought."

Then he added opponents of health care reform are engaged in a campaign to spread misinformation: "The insurance industry is behind all of this."

Kagen argued that health care reform would increase quality and decrease costs, especially for small businesses.

"We're going to become a community again."