Rick Santorum-linked plasma company operating out of a condo in line for $65MM for COVID research

[TheBlackAdder]

.

Internal government records obtained by The Associated Press (AP) revealed that Plasma Technologies LLC received seed money to test a possible COVID-19-fighting blood plasma technology and is in line for an additional $65 million by the Trump administration. Former GOP Sen. Rick Santorum, who has a financial stake in the obscure company, lobbied senior U.S. government officials for funding.

The South Carolina company operates out of the founder’s luxury condo, according to the AP’s discovery, and the $65 million follow-up funding will be granted once a commercial location is operational. Founder Eugene Zurlo is a pharmaceutical industry executive and top Republican donor. Zurlo brought Rick Santorum, who spent 12 years as a GOP senator from Pennsylvania, aboard as a part-owner three years ago.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/11/rick-santorum-linked-plasma-company-operating-out-of-a-condo-in-line-for-65-million-for-research-report/

WTF?

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[ProfessorGAC]

1. Number Of Surprised DUers?

None!

[TheBlackAdder]

7. He's a devout Christian. So devout that when people see him, they immediately think "Jesus Christ!"

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Beauty!!!

Made me laugh hard, BA!

[Blue Owl]

2. Frothy Rick, putting the "con" in "condo"

n/t

[torius]

3. Grift from Home?

You no longer need a fake “commercial location” to grift.

[EarnestPutz]

4. I first read this as "top Republican donor 'bought' Rick Santorum", not brought. Silly mistake.

[NoMoreRepugs]

5. Wrong on so many levels.

[MyOwnPeace]

6. What?

Plasma is frothy - and we're paying for research for Ricky? Eeeeeewwwwwwwwwww!

[miyazaki]

8. For that amount does the government get to keep it?

Fuck this BS!

[TexasBushwhacker]

10. Grifters gotta grift

I was wondering how Ricky Sant-Sweatervest was making a living, since he's a total failure as a politician.

[mercuryblues]

11. This is a blatant grab for tax payer money

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/trump-administration-funds-plasma-company-based-owners-sc-condo/TBQTWHEZEVFWDO3UJYXOWIPFL4/


Trump administration funds plasma company based in owner’s SC condo


By: RICHARD LARDNER and JASON DEAREN, Associated Press
Updated: November 1, 2020 - 12:12 PM

WASHINGTON — When the Trump administration gave a well-connected Republican donor seed money to test a possible COVID-19-fighting blood plasma technology, it noted the company’s “manufacturing facilities” in Charleston, South Carolina.

Plasma Technologies LLC is indeed based in the stately waterfront city. But there are no manufacturing facilities. Instead, the company exists within the luxury condo of its majority owner, Eugene Zurlo.

Zurlo’s company may be in line for as much as $65 million in taxpayer dollars; enough to start building an actual production plant, according to internal government records and other documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The story of how a tiny business that exists only on paper has managed to snare attention from the highest reaches of the U.S. military and government is emblematic of the Trump administration’s frenetic response to the coronavirus pandemic.


It’s also another in a series of contracts awarded to people with close political ties to key officials despite concerns voiced by government scientists. Among the others: an ill-conceived $21 million study of Pepcid as a COVID therapy and more than a half billion dollars to ApiJect Systems America, a startup with an unapproved medicine injection technology and no factory to manufacture the devices.

In addition, a government whistleblower claimed that a $1.6 billion vaccine contract to Novavax Inc. was made over objections of scientific staff.

At the center of these deals is Dr. Robert Kadlec, a senior Trump appointee at the Department of the Health and Human Services who backed the Pepcid, Novavax and ApiJect projects. Records obtained by the AP also describe Kadlec as a key supporter of Zurlo’s company.



Researchers want to make sure minority communities are represented in COVID-19 vaccine trials
In one government email obtained by the AP, an official said Kadlec, whose job as assistant secretary for preparedness and response is to help guide the nation through public health emergencies, was “all in” on Plasma Technologies.

This was the case despite misgivings from the scientists he oversees. One of them said the company would be just another “mouth to feed” that would distract from other important work on the pandemic. An HHS spokesperson said Kadlec “does not have a role in technical review of proposals nor in negotiating contracts.”

Kadlec has come under pressure from the White House to act with more urgency and not be bound by lower-level officials whom Trump has castigated as the “deep state” and accused of politically motivated delays in fielding COVID-19 vaccines and remedies. This pressure has led to investments in numerous untested companies.

The AP reached out to more than a dozen blood plasma industry leaders and medical experts. Few had heard of Zurlo’s company or its technology, and would not comment.