GOP lawmakers tell drug companies not to cooperate with House investigation into their prices -- to p

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Buzfeed News/Raw Story


Matthew Chapman MATTHEW CHAPMAN
08 APR 2019 AT 20:06 ET

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are launching an investigation into why pharmaceutical companies have been jacking up prices for lifesaving medications. In January, they requested information from 12 drug companies, including Pfizer, Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lily, and AstraZeneca.

But according to BuzzFeed News, Republican members of the committee, led by Reps. Mark Meadows (R-NC) and Jim Jordan (R-OH), are sending their own letters, warning these companies to not cooperate with the congressional investigation.


Their reasoning? They accuse Democratic Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) of orchestrating these investigations as an underhanded scheme to lower drug companies’ stock prices.

“Rep. Jordan is on the absolute wrong side here,” said Cummings in a statement to BuzzFeed. “He would rather protect drug company ‘stock prices’ than the interests of the American people.”



Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/2019/04/gop-lawmakers-tell-drug-companies-not-cooperate-house-investigation-prices-protect-stock/

[cstanleytech]

1. Sounds like some people need to be censured and moved from committees and or

moved to some shit detail ones.

[BadgerMom]

13. My thought exactly.

[ck4829]

39. Yep

[ashling]

54. Hear, hear !

[bluestarone]

2. THIS is soo wrong

These rethugs are really something!!

[global1]

5. And This Should Become A 2020 Campaign Issue....

another reason to run the Dem campaign against the Repugs.

Point this incident out and say it is the Repugs that are keeping the drug prices high.

[paleotn]

15. I would love to see a Dem take down Meadows...

We've had solid candidates in the past, but they can't make a dent in NC-11. The 2016 Dem was Phillip Price. Great candidate. Native to the district. Well thought of all around. It didn't matter. The electorate is so strung out on Fux News, guns and gawd that Jesus himself couldn't win there as a Dem. Use to live there, but have since kicked the dust off my shoes and moved north. Let them have their little redneck hell. I'm done with them.

[Pepsidog]

26. Defund his and Jordan's district.

[ck4829]

44. It absolutely should

[Fred Sandman]

34. Stock price concern is so fucked up as a reason I wonder why they even bother to open their traps.

The Republicans do not even care if they make any sense, the corporate media will faithfully forward the insane logic as worthy of debate and many hours of panel discussions because how do you make an insane side equal to a sane side?

[machoneman]

3. Oh boy how crazy have they become? An early strike to deny lower prices to our citizens?

Unheard of behavior even for these low lifes. Those letters need to be fodder for the next election cycle as the Democratic TV ads just about write themselves.

Jim Jordan and high drug prices for his sponsors? Lower costs to you personally?

How stupid can they be?

[NBachers]

4. Those high drug prices help maintain the torrent of bribes BigPharm pays to repukes.

[PSPS]

25. Exactly right. It's a standard off-the-shelf money-laundering scheme the GOP uses.

1. GOP crooks pass laws that enrich the already wealthy and big corporations.
2. Said wealthy and big corporations dutifully give back a percentage in "campaign contributions"
3. Crooks buy more TEE-VEE ads and, thus, gets re-elected.
4. Go to step 1

[ck4829]

45. Yep, when they say "stock prices", they really mean "campaign contributions"

[oldsoftie]

6. Its OK, because trump said he was going to lower our drug prices.

Maybe he just meant Adderall.........

[ck4829]

47. He's not on adderal, he's on "desoxyn"

[fascisthunter]

7. Did any of you really Believe the Right would Play Fair?

Are you all that deluded? You are witnessing a hostile take-over... a real coup. But you all act like it's another day. Enjoy your retirement, most of us won't. So spare me and the rest of us your blah blah.

[Roy Rolling]

8. A Bigger Scam

Republicans have their dirty fingerprints all over every market manipulation story. Don't think they will follow the rules when funds get low. Many are cheats without any pressure..

[dalton99a]

9. Kick

[Ohiogal]

10. Those two worthless pieces of shit

Make my blood boil! Aarrgghh

[ck4829]

48. That's a normal reaction to these two

[JDC]

11. I'll bet Pharma instructed Jordan and Meadows to send those letters

Lobbying from the inside out.

The number one donor in politics pulls all the strings on these puppets.

[Ligyron]

12. How is this not front page news in the MSM?

Why is it we only hear about this on a site like Buzzfeed and those made aware by its' narrow readership?

[ck4829]

49. It should be, let's begin here

[Hassler]

14. Gym Jordan, protects sexual predators and big pharma. What a legacy.

[DRoseDARs]

16. Isn't it illegal to instruct the subject of an investigation to not cooperate w/said investigation?

It's one thing to criticize, but isn't it wholly another thing to openly defy or instruct another to defy? I mean, I realize Meadows and Jordan are among the brain-meltingly stupidest members of congress currently, but this is dumb even for them. Christ, what next? Rep. Gomer of Texas saying "Hold my bear..." ? (Note: I know that's not his name and yes, "Hold my bear" is a thing he'd likely say." )

[ck4829]

40. You'd think so

[DoctorJoJo]

17. Let's See: Gym Jordan of Locker Room Fame, and Meadows, Who Lied About Being A College Grad

Can't imagine these two cretins supporting anything sane!

[paleotn]

18. There's a special place in hell

for Gym and Mark. Here's hoping they find that place soon.

[FiveGoodMen]

51. We need to stop saying that

Either we punish them or no one does.

[SunSeeker]

19. K & R for exposure.

[Rebl2]

20. If they

refuse to respond, can they be subpoenaed?

[sinkingfeeling]

21. Am I the only person appalled by the near treasonous activities

of the GOP? It started with me when good old freshman Senator Cotton decided to bypass protocol and write to Iran.

[Pepsidog]

24. I'm appalled that Dem lawmakers aren't making schemes, getting arrested for protesting. Dems need a

louder voice. Ghandi brought down the Bristish rule in India through peaceful protests that got NOTICED !!Dem lawmakers must do the same. Defund the White House.

[ck4829]

38. No, you're not

[Pepsidog]

22. No,No, I want a stronger statement from Dems. I want hunger strikes, protests, chain themselves to

Republican office doors. DEMS MUST BE HEARD!

[ck4829]

50. +1

[MadLinguist]

23. Surely Meadows and Jordan are in violation of the law?

How can these actions be legal?

[Lonestarblue]

30. At the very least they're a conflict of interest.

The media refuses to tackle the actions of Republicans who are not only undermining democracy but doing real damage to citizens. That’s nothing new. They did real damage to citizens who were losing their homes and could find no work during the Great Recession beginning in 2008 by refusing to work with the Obama administration to fund infrastructure jobs and get people back to work. Republicans knew they were delaying recovery and they did it anyway. And guess what, voters did not punish them for anything they did. Instead, they rewarded them with the presidency, the House, and the Senate in 2016.

The media is definitely on the side of Republicans staying in power because the more controversy they have the more they sell content. Unfortunately, they refuse to recognize that they’re helping to destroy this country.

[TheFarseer]

32. The media will pretend this didn't happen

Because big pharma buys a ton of ads and it’s bad for business to piss off advertisers. This is not allowed in other countries, but in the USA we let pharma (and other big business types) buy the politicians and the media.

[ck4829]

41. Good questions

[c-rational]

27. My initial reaction is that they want to cover up some nefarious quid pro quo between the reThugs

and the pharmaceutical corporations.

[SKKY]

28. I really, really don't want to believe that our elected officials are this unethical....

....but Jesus H. Christ in a chicken basket. How can you think otherwise?

[ck4829]

42. That ship has sailed, they are the party of anti-ethics

[Honeycombe8]

29. Is there proof of that? If so, can the House slap 'em with a rules violation or something?

Or is that free speech?

[YOHABLO]

31. This why the Republican Party exists. To protect the profits of Corporations and Stockholders

[ck4829]

37. True that

[area51]

33. Republinazi fsckers.

They should have their govt. healthcare stripped from them so they can find out how others feel.

[ck4829]

36. Absolutely

[ck4829]

35. Disturbing. K&R

[flotsam]

43. This is a great place to compete with microtargeting and data analysis

Start easy- pick the three drugs that are for the most common diseases and increased most percentage-wise in price and match those disease to likely GOP voters in their home districts. Keep it generic-you shouldn't mention you know they are or a family member are affected.
" Dear So and So, as you may know drug prices are out of control. Medicine (A, B, or C) has risen (X) % in the last several years. Congress is attempting to hold hearings into the problem but some members seem to be held under pharma control. Here's proof it is happening in your district: "

{Copy of Letter)

Help us help you-send us a congressman who supports fairness in drug pricing for Americans!

Same tactic they used but honest and fair...

[cstanleytech]

52. BTW isnt it a crime to obstruct an investigation by Congress?

[CrispyQ]

53. So big Pharma over charging your constituents is okay as long as their stock price isn't affected.

Typical GOP priorities.

I can't believe we sacrificed Al Franken & Gym Jordan has a chair in the House.