Big Pharma, medical firms donated $750K to Kyrsten Sinema -- then she opposed drug bill

[riversedge]

Source: raw story



September 23, 2021


Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, the controversial Arizona Democrat who threatens to derail President Biden's legislative agenda, received more than $750,000 in donations from the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. After that, she announced her opposition to a Democratic plan to lower prescription drug costs.

Sinema told White House officials that she opposes House and Senate bills that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug costs, sources told Politico this week. Democrats estimate these bills would save $450 billion over the next decade and thereby pay for a large portion of President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion spending plan. The budget bill would expand child care, health care and paid family leave and would fund programs to combat climate change, among other measures. Three House Democrats have also balked at the plan, although they have offered a "centrist" alternative that would drastically limit which drugs are subject to Medicare negotiation. Sinema reportedly opposes that proposal as well. During her successful 2018 Senate campaign, Sinema repeatedly vowed to lower prescription drug prices and drug costs for seniors.

...........................

.................................

Sinema has received $519,988 from PACs and individuals in the pharmaceutical industry throughout her political career, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. She brought in more than $120,000 in pharma contributions between 2019 and 2020 even though she is not up for re-election until 2024. Sinema has also received $190,161 from donors in the pharmaceutical manufacturing space and $62,797 from the medical supplies industry.

Sinema's office is led by a former lobbyist whose firm worked on behalf of pharmaceutical companies. The senator's chief of staff, Meg Joseph, was a registered lobbyist and principal at Clark & Weinstock, where her clients included the health insurer Health Net. During her tenure, the company also lobbied on behalf of numerous pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, drug distributor AmerisourceBergen Corp., and the biotech firm Genzyme Corp. It also lobbied on behalf of Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and AdvaMed, two major industry trade groups.........................................

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/big-pharma-medical-firms-donated-750k-to-kyrsten-sinema-then-she-opposed-bill/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

---

Money speaks.

Link to tweet

?s=20





Big Pharma, medical firms donated $750K to Kyrsten Sinema — then she opposed drug bill

Link to tweet

?s=20


U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema speaking with attendees at the 2019 Legislative Forecast Luncheon hosted by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

[LudwigPastorius]

1. If you look at the entire sector of health company and individual contributions to Sinema,...

it's more like over $2 million in contributions. ( look under "Sectors" and "Health" )

https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/kyrsten-sinema/industries?cid=N00033983&cycle=CAREER&type=C

[bluewater]

2. This Big Pharma $$$$ explains a lot....

[Budi]

3. She's not the only Senator who Big Pharma gave a hefty donation to.

[bringthePaine]

4. I see a postcard campaign citing her "thirty pieces of silver"...

[Comfortably_Numb]

5. Bought and paid for. Complete with griftwrapped silliness and attention seeking.

[The Mouth]

6. $750K to avoid losing $460,000,000,000? Sweet deal

[DanieRains]

7. It's The Rigged System PHARMA Gives To Everyone And Charges 10 Times The Going Rate

For lots of drugs.

It's not her fault.

She needs $50 Million to run a campaign.

It's actually our fault for not exterminating the money.

[rickyhall]

8. I remember when they called that "graft".

[AZLD4Candidate]

9. I got a post of mine blocked for calling her a turncoat and sell out

And now, she received 3/4 million for Big Pharma to oppose a bill she supported. I guess I was right. My senior senator is a sell out and a turncoat.

Show me the money. 66% of Arizonans will support the other candidate if there is a primary. 22% of Arizonans won't.

Sinema is the walking dead politically. And with this article, I was proven right.

[yaesu]

10. there will always be corporate puppets contaminating both parties until corporations are taken off

the human species list. Getting money out of our election system and overturning corporate personhood is the only way.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

11. Senator Sinema, Covid has been good to them, and they already have a plan.

Pfizer and Moderna may have greater pricing power for their boosters, at least at the outset, until competitors arrive. Pfizer initially charged $19.50 per dose for its vaccine in the United States and 19.50 euros for the European Union, but has already raised those prices 24% and 25%, respectively, in subsequent supply deals.

Pfizer expects to get ~6 billion a year on covid boosters alone. After cometitors arrive they expect 5 billion

[Prospero1]

12. This illustrates a fundamental reality...

in our system. We are pandered to on some issues that appeal to our political leanings (left or right) such as gun control, abortion, immigration but when it comes to real money and power our leaders are (mostly) bought. Recall the non-response to the 2008 bank collapse based on systematic fraud (i.e. racketeering), the crimes against humanity of the Bush administration, the limitless waste fraud and abuse of the MIC, Iran Contra, the Gulf of Tonkin fraud, the corruption of our tax system. The list goes on and on. There are a few folks who try to speak and take action against this situation (such as Bernie, AOC) but they are marginalized and demonized, often by their own party. The reality of our current situation is that regulatory and legislative "capture" is the norm.

[Ziggysmom]

13. Three Words. Campaign. Finance. Reform.

[AllaN01Bear]

14. then she needs to wear a jumpsuit like nascar drivers and or their cars with their sponsers logos on

them
in this case big pharma.
false flag.

[Mr. Evil]

15. She's only there for the money and perks.

She is nothing more than an attention whore and TV tart. She's lining her purses at the nation's expense. Yes, there is a long line of those types but, she makes it obvious and she Does. Not. Care.

[Kid Berwyn]

16. La Systema

Money goes in. Lots more money comes out.