THE
OPIOID EPIDEMIC CONTINUES TO RAVAGE HUGE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
AND THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS: HOW IS IT THAT THE DRUG INDUSTRY
WAS ABLE TO SELL SO MANY OF THESE PILLS IN AN UNMITIGATED
FASHION?
WELL INTO INVESTIGATIVE REPORT, AN INCREDIBLE ONE DONE
BY 60 MINUTES IN THE WASHINGTON POST SHOWS A THEME THAT IS ALL
TOO COMMON IN AMERICAN POLITICS.
CORRUPTION, THE REVOLVING DOOR
POLITICS, LOBBYING, AND A PROFIT MOTIVE THAT LED INDIVIDUALS TO
SUPPORT THE SALE OF THESE DRUGS, THE UNMITIGATED SALE OF THIS
DRUGS FOR PROFIT OVER THE LIVES OF ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO
HAVE DIED.
NOW, THE STORY IS CRAZY BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT HOW
LAWMAKERS IN CONGRESS UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD STRIP THE DEA OF ITS ABILITY TO SUSPEND A
QUESTIONABLE AND SUSPICIOUS NARCOTICS SALES IN THE WAY THAT
THEY DID THAT IS THEY RECEIVED A TON OF MONEY FROM THESE
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES AND FROM DISTRIBUTORS SO THEY COULD
STRIP THE DEA OF ANY POWER THAT IT HAD TO REGULATE AND ENFORCE
LAWS TO PREVENT THE OVERUSE AND THE OVER DISTRIBUTION OF
OPIOIDS.
ACCORDING TO THE PIECE:
SO WHAT HAPPENED?
WHAT WAS THE NEW LEGISLATION AND WHAT DID
IT DO TO STRIP THE DEA OF ITS POWER?
SO ESSENTIALLY, IN THE BEGINNING, IF THE DEA SAW THAT
THERE WERE DRUG DISTRIBUTORS DISTRIBUTING A SON OF OPIOID
PILLS TO A SPECIFIC PHARMACY, THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY FREEZE
THAT TYPE OF TRANSACTION IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATE TO MAKE
SURE THAT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING ILLEGAL OR DANGEROUS GOING ON
THOUGHTS WILL CONGRESS PASSED LEGISLATION THAT CHANGE THE
BURDEN OF PROOF NECESSARY FOR THE DEA TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT SO
THINK ABOUT IT AS THE DIFFERENCE OF A PREPONDERANCE OF EVIDENCE
TO BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE WHEN IT
COMES TO BURDEN OF PROOF THERE AND THEY MADE IT SO DIFFICULT
THAT IT WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DEA TO STEP IN AND
FREEZE OR SUSPEND THESE DRUG SALES.
JUST TWO THINGS THERE ALREADY.
ONE IS THE ONLY REASON
YOU DO THAT IS YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THE DRUGS KEEP
FLOWING.
THE DRUG COMPANIES HAVE A PROFIT MOTIVE HERE.
THEY WANT
TO SELL MORE DRUGS.
SO WHAT DO THEY DO?
THEY DO WHAT IS
LOGICAL.
THEY GO AND BUY OFF AMERICAN POLITICIANS SO THEY CAN
CHANGE THE RULES TO ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT AT A GREATER RATE.
THE DRUG COMPANIES AND THE NUMBER ONE CONTRIBUTORS TO
POLITICIANS IN AMERICA.
MORE THAN THE OIL COMPANIES, THE
BANKS, AND THEY ARE THE BIGGEST PRACTITIONERS OF CRONY
CAPITALISM DOS OF THE STORY IS AMAZING, BUT THEY ALSO DO IN
OTHER WAYS THAT THEY HAVE EXTENDED THAT MONOPOLY FROM FIVE
YEARS TO 12 ON SOME OF THESE DRUGS.
THEY DON'T ALLOW US, THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO NEGOTIATE FOR LOWER DRUG PRICES
FOR MEDICARE.
THAT IS INSANE.
THAT $1 MILLION THAT THEY INVEST
WINDS UP GETTING GREAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT, BUT THE DEGREE TO
WHICH OUR POLITICIANS ARE CROOKED IS UNFORTUNATELY
INDESCRIBABLE, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE RESULTS.
IT IS NOT LIKE ANYBODY VOTING ON THAT BILL DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A BIGGER FLOW OF DRUGS AND IT WAS
GOING TO AFFECT MORE PEOPLE AND LEAD TO MORE ADDICTION BUT
THEY ARE LIKE YES, BUT THEY DID NOT PAY ME.
THESE GUYS PAID ME.
PRIVATE FINANCING OF ELECTIONS LEADS TO POLITICIANS
WORKING FOR PRIVATE INTERESTS.
AND THIS CASE, THE DRUG COMPANIES.
WE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED WHEN THEY SELL IS OUT ON THEIR
BEHALF TO.
EXACTLY AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING.
THIS WAS
NOT LEGISLATION THAT CONGRESS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED SEVERAL YEARS
AGO.
THIS IS LEGISLATION THAT CONGRESS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED IN
APRIL 2016.
2016, SO THIS WAS RECENT IN NEWS OF THE OPIOID
EPIDEMIC WAS ALREADY MAKING HEADLINES.
PEOPLE ALREADY KNEW
ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
LIVES ARE ALREADY BEING DESTROYED
BECAUSE OF THE OVER DISTRIBUTION AND OVER PRESCRIPTION OF THESE
TYPES OF DRUGS.
NOW A JUDGE WHO IS ESSENTIALLY TALKING ABOUT
THIS AND IS WRITING ABOUT THIS FOR A LAW REVIEW JOURNAL SAID
THE FOLLOWING:
HE ALSO SAYS:
SO TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THIS NEW
LEGISLATION DOES, WHAT THIS NEW LAW DOES SINCE IT IS NOT
LEGISLATION ANYMORE.
AGAIN, THEY UNANIMOUSLY PASSED IT.
NOW THE REASON WHY WE KNOW ABOUT THIS IS BECAUSE THERE HAS
BEEN A WHISTLEBLOWER WHO USED TO WORK FOR THE DEA.
HIS NAME IS
JOE AND HE USED TO RUN THE DEA'S OFFICE OF
DIVERSION
CONTROL AND SO HE FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON PHARMACEUTICAL
DRUGS AND PHARMACEUTICAL DRUG ABUSE AND HE SAW WHAT WAS GOING
ON.
HE PROPERTY AGGRESSIVELY TO STOP THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION
AND UNFORTUNATELY, HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL SO NOW HE IS
SPEAKING UP ABOUT IT.
THERE IS NO SITUATION WHERE IF OUR REPRESENTATIVES ACTUALLY
RESENTED US THEY WOULD SAY YOU KNOW WHAT, WE JUST RANDOMLY
THINK DRUG COMPANIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO SET ANY PRICE THEY LIKE
AND THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF
AMERICANS.
THAT IS NOT A SITUATION THAT EXISTS IN THE
WORLD.
THE ONLY REASON YOU DO THAT IS BECAUSE YOU WERE OWNED
BY THEM AND BY THE WAY, THE HAPPENED UNDER BUSH BUT ALSO
HAPPEN UNDER OBAMA AND THIS IS DURING THE OBAMA YEARS IN BOTH
PARTIES OFTEN PLAY ALONG WITH THAT SO HERE THEY ARE.
HERE'S A
SITUATION WHERE THE ONLY REASON YOU WOULD SET A HIGHER BAR IS TO
MAKE SURE THE DRUGS KEEP FLOWING IN THE DRUG, IF MAKE MONEY EVEN
THOUGH YOU KNOW THE ADDICTION IS OUT OF CONTROL THE COUNTRY, YET
BOTH PARTIES GO WELL, WHERE'S MY BREAD BUTTERED.
NOT BY THE
PUBLIC.
WE DON'T A PUBLIC FINANCING, WE'RE PRIVATE
FINANCING.
THESE GUYS GIVE ME A LOT OF MONEY.
I'M GOING TO DO
WITH THEY ASK THAT IT IF IT LEADS YOU TO HAVE A FILM
EVER WHO IS ADDICTED TO DRUGS, I DO NOT CARE TO BECOME A MONEY.
I WANT TO CALLED A FEW THE POLITICIANS THAT WERE BEHIND
THIS LEGISLATION.
THOSE WHO SPONSORED AND THOSE WHO ENDED UP
SUPPORTING IT PRETTY AGGRESSIVELY.
IN THE VERY
BEGINNING IT WAS REPRESENTATIVE TOM MARINO.
ACCORDING TO THIS
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT:
SO BREAKING NEWS STORY TODAY WAS THAT TRUMP CLAIMED THAT STARTING
NEXT WEEK, HE WILL CLAIM THAT THERE IS A STATE OF EMERGENCY
DUE TO THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC.
WELL, YOU ARE NOW NAMING THE
SAME INDIVIDUAL WHO PRESSURED CONGRESS TO PASS THIS TYPE OF
LEGISLATION TO BE THE DRUGS ARE.
YOU THINK HE IS GOING TO LOOK
OUT FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF AMERICANS THAT ARE BATTLING WITH
THIS TYPE OF ADDICTION?
NO, HE CARES ABOUT MAKING MONEY AND
LOOKING OUT FOR THE DRUG INDUSTRY THAT IS PATTING HIS
POCKETS.
IT IS CORRUPTION 101.
IN THE PAST, DRUGS ARE MET YOU ARE GOING TO FIGHT DRUG
START AND THIS CASE IT MIGHT MEAN THAT HE IS THE ONE THAT
HELPS THE AMERICAN DRUG CARTELS PUSH MORE DRUGS TO GET US MORE
ADDICTED WHICH LEADS TO HEROIN OVERDOSE, OXYCONTIN OVERDOSING
LIST GOES ON.
HE IS PATIENT ZERO FOR THE LEGISLATIVE PROBLEMS THAT
LED TO THE ADDICTION IN THE FIRST PLACE.
TRUMP DID NOT PICK AND BY ACCIDENT.
TRUMP WILL TAKE ANYONE WHO HAS SOLD OUT THE CORPORATE
INTERESTS AND PUT THEM INTO THE TOP POSITION.
BUT I THOUGHT HE WAS TURNING THE SWAMP.
WHAT HAPPENED?
IT IS GROSS HOW BRAZEN THEY ARE ABOUT IT BECAUSE IF YOU
WANTED TO COVER IT UP AND HE WANTED TO BE SOPHISTICATED, YOU
WOULDN'T PICK MARINO, YOU WOULD PICK ONE OF HIS LACKEYS.
LOWER-LEVEL GUY.
NO, HE PICKED THE GUY WHO DID THE CRIME
IN THE FIRST PLACE DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE HELPED PUSH THE
DRUG ADDICTION BUT BECAUSE OF THAT FACT THAT ONE MORE THING
ABOUT TRUMP AND HIS PROMISES.
HE SAID IT'S OUTRAGEOUS THAT OVER OBAMA WE DON'T
NEGOTIATE DRUG PRICES.
HE CAME IN AND IMMEDIATELY SAID THAT TRUMP WILL NOT
NEGOTIATE DRUG PRICES.
OF COURSE.
BY THE WAY, WHEN IT COMES TO THIS LAW THAT PASSED STRIPPING
THE DEA OF ITS POWER TO PROTECT AMERICANS, OBAMA SIGNED THAT
LEGISLATION INTO LAW, SO THAT IS ANOTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND
AND WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING WAS THAT THE WASHINGTON POST MADE IT
SEEM AS THOUGH, YOU KNOW, OBAMA DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND OR
REALIZE THE RAMIFICATIONS.
HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO SIGN SOMETHING, YOU ARE SIGNING
YOUR NAME AND ALLOWING LEGISLATION TO PASS INTO LAW,
YOU BETTER KNOW WHAT THAT DUCK LIKE SOME OF THE ESTABLISHMENT
PRESS IS IN THE JOB OF CRITICIZING TRUMP EVEN THOUGH HE
IS PART OF THE ELITE, ETC., THEY CONSIDER HIM NOT PART OF THE
ESTABLISHMENT BUT MAN, THEY LOVE TO COVER FOR OBAMA.
AND HERE,
IT'S IRONIC BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE A WONDERFUL REPORT, GREAT JOB OF
INVESTIGATING THIS BUT YOU CAN'T HELP BUT SOFT-PEDAL OBAMA.
WHAT
KIND OF EXCUSES HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS IN IT THEN HE SHOULD'VE
FOUND OUT HE SHOULD'VE DONE HIS HOMEWORK SO NO, NO EXCUSE FOR
THE DEMOCRATS AM A NO EXCUSE FOR OBAMA.
THEY WOULD MAKE IT SEEM
LIKE OBAMA DIDN'T, OBAMA ALSO GOT PRIVATE FINANCING.
HE GOT
HIS ENTIRE CABINET HANDED TO THEM BY CITIGROUP EXECUTIVE BACK
IN 2008.
HE TOOK EVERY PERSON ON THE LIST BUT ONE.
HIS ENTIRE
CABINET WAS HANDED TO HIM BY CITIGROUP BECAUSE HIS NUMBER ONE
SET OF DONORS BACK IN 2008 WERE THE BANKS.
YOU KNOW, ALL THE
ESTABLISHMENT WANTS TO DO IS GO BACK TO THE PRE-TRUMP DAYS.
THEY WERE TERRIBLE.
WE HAD DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS
SELLING US OUT DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
IT WAS SO BAD, PEOPLE ARE SO FRUSTRATED THAT THEY VOTED
FOR TRUMP.
THAT IS HOW BAD THE PRE-TRUMP DAYS WERE.
FOR THEM IT WAS THE STATUS QUOTE THEY WOULD LOVE TO GO BACK
TO THAT.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT HOME GIRL MARSHA BLACKBURN
BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO CALL HER OUT.
WHEN IT COMES TO
LOBBYING, THERE WERE SEVERAL SPECIFIC PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED A
LOT
OF MONEY FROM THE DRUG INDUSTRY.
WHEN IT COMES TO MARSHA BLACKBURN WHO IS A
REPRESENTATIVE IN TENNESSEE SHE RESUMED HUNDRED AND $50,000.
YOU MAY KNOW SHE IS NOW RUNNING TO FILL BOB CORKER'S SENATE SEAT
IN TENNESSEE, HOWEVER SHE MADE NEWS LAST WEEK WHEN SHE RAN A
CONTROVERSIAL AD THAT TWITTERED THE MONETIZE.
TAKE A LOOK THAT.
I'M 100% PRO-LIFE.
I THOUGHT PLANNED PARENTHOOD AND WE
STOPPED THE SALE OF BABY BODY PARTS, THANK GOD.
PERSONAL, GO BACK AND WATCH A VIDEO COVERAGE OF THAT
BECAUSE SHE IS LYING.
PLANNED PARENTHOOD NEVER SOLD BABY BODY PARTS WITH THAT
IS INSIDE THE POINT THAT YOU ARE PRO-LIFE?
YOU REPEATEDLY COSPONSORED LEGISLATION THAT HELPED FUEL THE
DEATHS OF 200,000 AMERICANS SINCE 2011.
YOU ARE PRO-LIFE?
KNOW YOU ARE A DISGUSTING CORRUPT FRAUD AND YOU ARE ALSO A
LIER, BY THE WAY.
IT'S PATHETIC.
THIS PRO-LIFE BS.
PANDERING TO THE RELIGIOUS-BASE.
SHE IS NOT PRO-LIFE THE ONLY THING SHE CARES ABOUT THE
COLD HARD CASH ñ LOVE THE CORRUPTION.
THINK ABOUT YOUR SYSTEM IS NOT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO GIVE
$150,000 TO A LOWLY REPRESENTATIVE FROM TENNESSEE.
WHAT YOU THINK SHE IS GOING TO DO?
DO THINK SHE IS GOING TO TAKE THE HUNDRED $50,000
ABOUT AGAINST THEM?
KNOW, SHE IS GOING TO FOR THEM., THE FIRST TIME SOMEBODY GETS A
DONATION YOU MIGHT SAY, THE CORPORATION, THE DRUG COMPANIES
ARE TAKING A GAMBLE ON SOMEONE LIKE HER.
THE SECOND TIME THEY
GET THE DONATION THAT MEANS I GAMBLE PAID OFF.
SHE DID
EXACTLY AS SHE WAS TOLD.
THEY GOT A RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
THAT IS WHY THEY BOUGHT HER AGAIN AND THAT IS WHAT SHE IS.
IT INCLUDES ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE STORY, INCLUDING THE CENTER
THAT ANNA MENTIONED THERE, THE HUNDRED AND $77 TO LAUREN HATCH.
HE IS DEEPLY CROWD FOR DECADES AND ALL THE TV AND THE REST OF
THE MEDIA DOES OFTENTIMES AS COVER FOR HIM AND THEY SAY OH,
THE HONORABLE GENTLEMAN FROM UTAH.
THAT HONORABLE GENTLEMEN
HAS TAKEN MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN LEGALIZED
BRIBES AND AS EVERYTHING THAT HIS PRIVATE DONORS HAVE
ASKED HIM TO DO.
THAT IS WHO HE IS.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE THIRD PART OF THIS ISSUE IS THE
REVOLVING DOOR POLITICS BECAUSE THE SAME LAWYERS WHO WORKED WITH
THE DEA IN ORDER TO GO AFTER THE INDUSTRY AND MAKE SURE THAT
JUSTICE WAS SERVED IF THERE WERE ILLEGAL NARCOTICS DISTRIBUTIONS,
THOSE PEOPLE WOULD LEAVE THE DEA AND GUESS WHAT?
THEY WOULD GO
REPRESENT THE DRUG INDUSTRY.
IN FACT, THE PRIME EXAMPLE IN THIS
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER WAS LYNDON BARBER.
HE WAS THE DEA'S
FORMER ASSOCIATE CHIEF COUNSEL AND IN 2011, HE LEFT THE DEA TO
GO REPRESENT THE DRUG COMPANIES AND HE IS JUST ONE OF MANY
INDIVIDUALS WHO USED TO WORK AT THE DEA WHO THEN WENT TO GO WORK
FOR THE DRUG INDUSTRY AND THE REASON WHY THAT IS TERRIBLE IS
BECAUSE WILL OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THEM NOT ACTUALLY
BEING GENUINE AND BEING PART OF THE DEA.
IT'S ALL A SHOW FOR
MONEY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY KNEW THE TACTICS THAT THE
DEA USED IN ORDER TO HELP MITIGATE THE SALE AND
DISTRIBUTION OF THESE DRUGS AND SO THEY WOULD GO AND
ESSENTIALLY SHARE THE SECRETS OF THE DEA WITH THE INDUSTRY
SO THEY COULD EFFECTIVELY LOBBY FOR LEGISLATION THAT WOULD
HELP THEM OUT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY AGAIN, THE CORRUPTION IS BIPARTISAN.
HOWARD DEAN, NOT RELATED TO THE STORY BUT GIVE YOU A SENSE OF
IT, USED TO CRITICIZE THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY.
THEN HE
BECAME A LOBBYIST FOR THEM AFTER YOU STOP BEING IN THE GOVERNMENT
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE PROGRESS OF HOWARD DEAN YOU
KNEW, GONE.
NOW HE IS DOING SYMPOSIUMS ON HOW THE PRIVATE
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY IS HELPING TO SAVE AMERICA.
IT'S FUNNY WAS
SOMEBODY WILL DO IF THEY ARE PAID TO DO IT.
YOU NEED PUBLIC
FINANCING SO THEY WORK FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
IF YOU ALLOW
FOR PRIVATE FINANCING, THEY WILL WORK FOR THE PRIVATE INTERESTS
AND SINCE THE DRUG COMPANIES OF THE NUMBER ONE DONORS IN
AMERICA, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SET THAT OPIOID ADDICTION.
EVERYTHING YOU SEE WILL BE A LOT OF HUFFING AND PUFFING THE
BEHIND THE SCENES, THEY WILL ALMOST ALL AGREE YEAH,
LET'S GIVE THE DONORS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED EVEN IF IT
COSTS AMERICAN LIVES.
EXACTLY.
I JUST WANT TO LIVE WITH ONE STAT THAT SHOULD BLOW
YOUR MIND.
WEST VIRGINIA IS ONE PART OF THE COUNTRY THAT IS
REALLY STRUGGLING WITH OPIOID EPIDEMIC AND THE ARTICLE
MENTIONS THE FACT THAT BETWEEN 2007 IN 2012 THERE WAS ONE
DISTRIBUTOR KNOWN AS MIAMI LUCAN WHO SHIPPED 20 MILLION DOSES OF
HYDROCODONE AND OXYCODONE TO PHARMACIES IN WEST VIRGINIA. 20
MILLION BETWEEN 2007 IN 2012 BUT ACCORDING TO THE PIECE DESPITE
THE RISING DEATH RATE IN WEST VIRGINIA, THE HIGHEST IN THE
NATION, PLEASE IN 2013 TO HALT THEIR OPERATIONS WERE
IGNORED BY THE LEGAL OFFICE AT HEADQUARTERS AND IT WAS
BECAUSE THEY WERE PRESSURED BY CONGRESS TO LEAVE THESE
DISTRIBUTORS ALONE BECAUSE THESE DISTRIBUTORS ARE FUNDING THEM.
THESE ARE LITERALLY DRUG PUSHERS AND YOU WANT TO
TALK ABOUT A GATEWAY DRUG?
IT IS NOT MARIJUANA.
IT IS THESE LEGALIZED DRUGS AND YOU DO
NOT SEND ABOUT THAT AMOUNT OF DRUGS TO WEST VIRGINIA AND NOT
KNOW THAT WEST VIRGINIA IS ONE OF THE EPICENTERS OF THIS DRUG
DEALING THAT IS GOING ON THAT IS LEADING TO THE DRUG ADDICTIONS,
THAT IS LEADING TO ALL OF THESE DEATHS.
THEY KNEW, THE PEOPLE AT
THE COMPANY KNEW, THE POLITICIANS KNEW, BUT THEY ALL
WANTED TO MAKE A BUCK OFF OF YOU TO GET YOU ADDICTED AND IF YOU
WIND UP SUFFERING HORRIBLE CONSEQUENCES OR EVEN DYING, THEY
STILL MADE THEIR MONEY.
ANYBODY WHO KNEW THE SHIPMENTS WERE
GOING AT THAT RATE TO WEST VIRGINIA TO EXACTLY WHAT THEY
WERE DOING AND DIDN'T GIVE A DAMN.