BRIAN ROSS REPORTS
- Like Jay-Z + the Beatles, But Worse
- Update: Help for Homeless Children
- Bush Era, Revised -- and with More Barbeque
- The Tax Woman Cometh
- Paging Mr. Stanford: Antigua Called
- Who Are You Calling Partisan?
- Update: IRS Won't Use Private Debt Collectors
- But Is It Art?
- PMA Scandal a Sore Point for Dems in 2010?
- Down in Flames
- A New Mystery for RNC Chief
- PMA Clients Were Big Givers
- Raided Lobby Firm Still a Force on Capitol Hill
- Stanford Update: Another $143 Mil Found
- Cheney, Hooked on Controversy
TOP BLOTTER CATEGORIES
- Abramoff Lobbying Scandal
- American Al Qaeda
- Avian Flu
- Beirut Hospital Out of Gas
- Cheney
- CIA
- CIA Secret Prisons
- D.C. Madam Affair
- FBI
- Federal Air Marshal Service
- Homeland Security
- Hurricane Katrina
- IRS
- Mark Foley Internet Scandal
- Millionaire Sex Scandal
- Nigerian E-mail Scams
- Norman Hsu, Clinton Fundraiser
- NSA: Wiretapping
- Osama bin Laden
- Payola
- Pharmacy Investigation
- PMA
- Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert
- Stanford
- Steele
- Terror
- Troopergate
- U.K. Airline Terror Plot
- U.K. Bombing Attempts
- Wen Ho Lee
- William Jefferson
- Zarqawi
« Previous | Main | Next »
OxyContin: The Giuliani Connection
Email
Print
ShareMay 10, 2007 1:28 PM
Rudolph Giuliani and his consulting company, Giuliani Partners, have served as key advisors for the last five years to the pharmaceutical company that pled guilty today to charges it misled doctors and patients about the addiction risks of the powerful narcotic painkiller OxyContin.
Federal officials say the company, Purdue Frederick, helped to trigger a nationwide epidemic of addiction to the time-release painkiller by failing to give early warnings that it could be abused.
Prosecutors say "in the process scores died."
Drug Enforcement Administration officials tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com Giuliani personally met with the head of the DEA when the DEA's drug diversion office began a criminal investigation into the company.
According to the book "Painkiller," by New York Times reporter Barry Meier, both Giuliani and his then-partner Bernard Kerik "were in direct contact with Asa Hutchinson, the administrator of DEA."
Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.
Hutchinson told the Blotter on ABCNews.com today that Giuliani asked for a meeting, "and we gave him a meeting." Hutchinson says he was aware the company was under investigation at the time, and "any time a company is under investigation I like to give them a chance to make their case."
Kerik told New York Magazine at the time that Giuliani had raised $15,000 in donations for a "traveling museum operated by the DEA."
Some officials told ABC News there were questions inside the agency of whether the donations were an attempt to influence the DEA.
Meier wrote that "with Giuliani now in the mix, the pace of DEA's investigation into Purdue's OxyContin plant in New Jersey slowed as Hutchinson repeatedly summoned division officials to his office to explain themselves and their reasons for continuing the inquiry."
Giuliani publicly praised the company, Purdue Frederick, when it hired him in May 2002 for an undisclosed amount. "Purdue has demonstrated its commitment to fighting this problem," he said, referring to the issue of drug addiction.
According to Giuliani Partners, Kerik, a New York City police commissioner under Giuliani, was in charge of helping Purdue improve security at the New Jersey plant.
Kerik left Giuliani Partners after disclosures he was under criminal investigation.
In hiring Giuliani, Purdue said, "Giuliani Partners is uniquely qualified" to address the issue of preventing drug abuse.
The Web site for Giuliani Partners lists Purdue Pharma as one of its current clients.
A spokeswoman for Giuliani Partners told ABC News today, "The proceeding speaks for itself, and beyond that we're not going to comment."
May 10, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (115)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
good oldE daddy warbucks just back from making money off 9/11 expands into the drug industry.
Posted by: Kurt W Sorenson | May 10, 2007 2:01:06 PM
My nephew died at the age of 23 in November from Oxycottin! This drug has killed 6 teens this year in our small town Thousand Oaks, Ca.
Posted by: Jen | May 10, 2007 2:11:27 PM
As a former New Yorker, I never found much to admire in Guiliani, certainly not his trying to kick his wife and children out of Gracie Mansion (the Mayor's House in NYC)to install his mistress and nothing that has been learned about his not-so-clean dealings has changed my mind. He has had his fingers in many a dirty pot.
Posted by: Louise Hyson | May 10, 2007 2:11:35 PM
Rudy, ever the friend of Repup slimebags, was just helping Rush maintain his supply of OxyContin. Without that drug, Limbaugh might lapse into reality - or even sanity - and then the right-wing would lose their "voice". Rudy just couldn't let that happen to his pal.
Posted by: ImpeachmentNOW | May 10, 2007 2:15:31 PM
My husband was given Oxycontin for severe back pain and surgury without any warning of the addiction. He suffered stroke like syptoms and had to quit work because of brain damage, and other physical disabilities. He also had to endure drug rehab which was very degrading and painful. I believe that the manufacturer should take responsibility for their greed. They developed the drug for terminally ill people, but were not making enough money on that issue, so they decided to use it for a pain killer. Well it has ruined our lives.
Posted by: Shirley | May 10, 2007 2:17:53 PM
'Breaking news'?...Are you kidding? Was this a secret? Are we to believe that if Giuliani has met with disreputable people at any point in his life, he's tainted? As the head of Giuliani Partners, a PR/consulting firm, you tend to have clients that need help with their image...generally something is wrong if they need such a firm.
He was also a prosecutor...so I guess Brian Ross & Co. will soon have 'Breaking News' that Giuliani had at one time met with prostitutes, murderers and gamblers.
Posted by: Dennis G. | May 10, 2007 2:18:30 PM
Giuliani is another sleazy politician. Limbaugh joins him. Limbaugh tells first wife he is divorcing her while she is in the hospital. Giuliani has no sense of honor either -- he kicks wife and children out -- installs his mistress and then runs around touting his family values. I am disgusted by him and his like-minded friends. And now Giuliani wants to be president - give me a break. Americans deserve better.
Posted by: Mary | May 10, 2007 2:23:04 PM
Americans DO deserve better.
Unfortunately, we get the worst.
Watch your nightly news, and count the number of drug-commercials you see.
Blame the republicans, Fine. They are not the ones throwing it in your faces every 10 minutes during the commercial breaks.
Posted by: JelloBiafra | May 10, 2007 2:27:34 PM
My dad was prescribed oxycodine aka OxyContin for a rheumatory problem (not at all terminal) in 2002. After 4 years on the medication he died in his sleep at the age of 43. I'm not a DR. so I can't clinicly blame the drug for his early death, but I can remember him saying many times that he wished he had never started taking it. He said "IT" had a hold on him like nothing he had ever experienced. Along with countless others, OxyContin ruined our lives.
Posted by: SpeakOut2007 | May 10, 2007 2:29:13 PM
As a person who had unsuccesful back surgey in 2007 and have been taking prescribed Oxycontin ever since and am able to continue to work (rather than be forced to quit, sign-up for disability and have to live off of the tax payers) due to the daily doses of Oxycontin, knowing full well that I am physically and mentally addicted to the medication I still would rather be able to function as a meaningful member of society than to do otherwise. And, no my job is in Engineering, not behind the counter at McDonalds! Unlike what most people think it does not make you completely stupid. I could not do my job or much else without it! Yes, it's addictive, however the thought of having it removed from the market makes my blood boil!!! It is a great drug for those of us who actually need it...
Posted by: Troy M. | May 10, 2007 2:32:38 PM
Perhaps the law firm Hilary's a partner in would be a a better choice; more honest in their dealings.
Posted by: rob | May 10, 2007 2:33:56 PM
Troy M., It pains me to say this, but give it time. Anyone I know to have ever taken it for any period of time has paid the price for it. If have hopes for a long and happy future, please find an alternative.
Posted by: SpeakOut2007 | May 10, 2007 2:36:22 PM
Federal officials say the company, Purdue Frederick, helped to trigger a nationwide epidemic of addiction to the time-release painkiller by failing to give early warnings that it could be abused.
IT IS A NARCOTIC PEOPLE!!!! WHY SHOULD THE PUBLIC BE FORWARNED THAT IT IS ADDICTIVE! ALL NARCOTICS ARE AND CAN BE ADDICTIVE TO INDIVIDUALS WITH ADDICTIVE TENDENCIES. THIS IS ANOTHER WASTE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
Posted by: Phyllis | May 10, 2007 2:36:53 PM
Drug companies started running all these TV ads in 1997 when the Clinton administration loosened up restrictions on that kind of advertising. Before that, no prescription meds were allowed to be advertised on TV in the U.S. Don't blame the Republicans for this mess.
Posted by: Howard | May 10, 2007 2:46:24 PM
Let's see, Guiliani fronts for a
dubious drug that harms people.
Plus, he is loves to dress in
women's clothese, plus his family
cannot support his effort, etc.
AND HE IS THE REPUBLICAN FRONT
RUNNER FOR PRESIDENT???
Lord, I sincerely hope, as a
Democrat, that he is the eventual
Republican standard bearer in
11/2008. And that the Republicans
continue voting for the Iraq War.
We will sweep Congress and the Presidency.
Posted by: Bob | May 10, 2007 2:48:08 PM
Thank you Howard, these politicos-wanna-bees just blame everything on the republicans without even thinking. (Hmmm, I wonder where that comes from...)
It's like, democrats and the news media haven't made a penny off of drugs like these.
What a crock, next time, try looking out of BOTH eyes, instead of just your left or just your right.
This affects EVERYBODY and EVERY politician has a MORAL obligation to stop these destructive drugs, but a POLITICAL obligation to defend them.
Posted by: JelloBiafra | May 10, 2007 2:52:18 PM
I have been on the drug for nearly 2 1/2 years, both IR and the ER, up to 150 mg a day, and I am still on it, trying to wean myself off of it. Realizing it is addictive is there anybody who has kicked the drug/habit out there.
I too am an engineer and just coming off back surgery, and agree with my colegue, from the perspective in the drug had helped me function up until the back became so bad I had to get operated on.
For those of you who never had such pain it is easy to condemn but for people living with pain day to day and be expected to function it was what was required to survive.
I would be glad to trade situations with anyone out there just one day to live pain free and see what it feels like than to be addicted to something like this.
Enough said as it is to sit on the side lines and speak of this drug if it were anything than what it is, it is and will allways be a very powerful addictive pain drug.
There is no free ride in this world, and you have to pay the piper sometime.
Posted by: Joe | May 10, 2007 2:55:33 PM
Gee, I wonder if McCain...or some of the other Republican candidates...might mention this during the campaign? Hey, at least it doesn't have anything to do with Iraq or 9-11!
Posted by: Dirik Lolkus | May 10, 2007 2:57:29 PM
The Republican Front Runner is Ron Paul, get it straight.
Posted by: UomodiRispetto | May 10, 2007 3:01:13 PM
anyone who spent a fortune going to med school should know this and should have informed their patients about it.I agree with Phyllis! I'm sorry that Speakout has lost her/his father due to the negligence of the Company and his Doctor.
Posted by: sg | May 10, 2007 3:05:20 PM
Post a comment
