Top NJ Dem: Why the GOP Candidate for US Senate is Wrong for Us
New Brunswick, NJ – In a thoughtful analysis of the stark contrasts in this race, State Senator Loretta Weinberg explains in an op-ed she penned in yesterday’s Star Ledger why U.S. Senator Bob Menendez is the right choice for New Jerseyans over greedy, drug company CEO Bob Hugin this Nov. 6.
“With Hugin on the ballot this November, New Jersey voters are faced with an easy decision. We can side with a CEO who preyed on cancer patients and backed Chris Christie after the rest of the state realized he was a total disaster of a governor. Or, we can support, Sen. Bob Menendez, a true progressive leader who has dedicated his adult life to improving the lives of New Jerseyans,” wrote Sen. Weinberg.
Top N.J. Dem: Why the GOP candidate for U.S. Senate is wrong for us | Opinion
By Star-Ledger Guest Columnist
By Loretta Weinberg
In the seminal 1987 movie “Wall Street,” Michael Douglas’ character, Gordon Gekko, utters some of the most famous words in cinema history: “Greed is good.” His argument is that pursuing profit above all else is actually a good thing.
Bob Hugin must have seen that movie several times.
From 2010-2017, Hugin was CEO of New Jersey-based pharmaceutical giant Celgene. Before that, he worked as a Wall Street banker, Hugin traded derivatives at JP Morgan, and would later take that Wall Street experience to Celgene, where his profit-at-all-costs maneuverings would eventually come into focus.
Hugin doubled the price of Celgene’s most successful drug, Revlimid, a cancer medication that was the company’s main source of revenue, including hiking the price three separate times in 2017. A month’s supply of the cancer drug runs between 9 and 11 times more than the median monthly home mortgage in Bergen County. Hugin was rewarded by being one of the highest paid CEOs in the country with a total compensation of over $100 million. With that money, he bought three homes and a yacht called “The Right Place.” For Hugin, the “right place” is not the U.S. Senate.
But in 2014, a whistleblower suit was filed against the company by one of its employees with explosive allegations related to the marketing of its cancer medications Revlimid and Thalomid.
Hugin and Celgene were accused of breaking federal law, and the allegations are as unseemly as the settlement was huge.
This whistleblower presented evidence that the company defrauded Medicare, marketed its drugs for uses not approved by the FDA, lied to doctors and patients about the drugs’ effectiveness and side effects, and paid physicians kickbacks to prescribe Celgene’s drugs. The federal lawsuit claimed Hugin and Celgene put cancer patients at risk of further physical harm in order to boost sales.
Rather than go to trial and fight the charges, Hugin and Celgene agreed to settle with the federal government, New Jersey, 27 other states and the District of Columbia for a staggering $280 million.
While Hugin claims to be proud of his Celgene record, he feebly attempts to explain away the settlement as the cost of doing business, and doesn’t have an answer as to why he pushed to have the record sealed. During the proceedings, Hugin gave a sworn, videotaped deposition. Perhaps all the answers we need came to light on that video, but Bob Hugin doesn’t want anyone to see it. If he has nothing to hide, he should release it.
And where do Hugin’s political values lie? Hugin has donated millions from his personal fortune supporting right-wing candidates and causes like Donald Trump, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, Scott Garrett, and the extremist Heritage Foundation. He even gave to the late North Carolina senator and known segregationist, Jesse Helms.
But the politician on the receiving end of Hugin’s greatest support is none other than Chris Christie. Hugin and Christie’s connections run deep. Hugin donated $250,000 to Christie’s failed presidential campaign. Clearly, greed loves company.
With Hugin on the ballot this November, New Jersey voters are faced with an easy decision. We can side with a CEO who preyed on cancer patients and backed Chris Christie after the rest of the state realized he was a total disaster of a governor. Or, we can support, Sen. Bob Menendez, a true progressive leader who has dedicated his adult life to improving the lives of New Jerseyans.
Menendez is consistently ranked among the most effective senators in the country and his unceasing support for the Affordable Care Act, affordable prescription drugs, and expanded Medicare and Medicaid programs shows he is aligned with New Jersey’s priorities and values.
The contrast between Menendez and Hugin couldn’t be clearer. We need Senator Menendez’s leadership now more than ever. Let’s vote for the Bob that has our backs, not the one who has his hand in our pocket.
Loretta Weinberg, a Democrat, is the New Jersey Senate majority leader.
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