Obama Team Moves Fund-Raiser After Globe Inquiry (Obama campaign in bed with Big Pharma)

The Boston Globe ^ | Thursday, July 14, 2011 | Glen Johnson

[kristinn]

President Obama’s campaign committee is moving a fund-raiser featuring Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel from the Pfizer world headquarters to another location in New York City after The Boston Globe inquired about the propriety of a major pharmaceutical company hosting an event that could benefit the administration regulating it.

“This is a general fund-raising event for the campaign that has nothing to do with a specific company and the attendees will not be from any one company or sector,” Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said this afternoon in a statement.

A Pfizer spokesman did not address the change in locale but defended the company’s initial decision to host the fund-raiser.

“Pfizer is proud to participate in the political process and encourages its colleagues to do so as well,” said the spokesman, Raul Damas. “All activities are undertaken in strict compliance with campaign finance law.”

SNIP

Emanuel, who formerly served as White House chief of staff, is slated to attend a series of fund-raising events for Obama next Thursday in New York. In one of them, he will serve as keynote speaker for the launch of a “Tri-State Speaker Series” aimed at raising money in the cash-rich region of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Attendees are being asked to donate $1,000 for lunch with Emanuel or $5,000 to attend each of what will be monthly events during the next year, according to an invitation obtained by the Globe.

SNIP

In September 2009, Pfizer pleaded guilty to the illegal marketing of four of its drugs in which became the largest case of health care fraud in US history. It also received the largest criminal penalty - $1.2 billion - ever levied.

The settlement was the fourth by the company with the US Department of Justice during the prior decade.

[kristinn]

Will Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito receive an apology from Obama?

[Texas Eagle]

President Obama’s campaign committee is moving a fund-raiser featuring Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel from the Pfizer world headquarters to another location in New York City after The Boston Globe inquired about the propriety of a major pharmaceutical company hosting an event that could benefit the administration regulating it.

What's the problem? It's not like Pfizer has corporate jets or anything.

Or dooooooo they?

[demkicker]

A Pfizer spokesman did not address the change in locale but defended the company’s initial decision to host the fund-raiser.

Boehner should fire off a letter to Pfizer and other big businesses who can't seem to notice the stark lines between a typical political donation to the questionable ones that have a distinct illegal sniff in the air. These companies should really be made to fear future Congressional Hearings.....

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks kristinn.

[Blood of Tyrants]

You really can’t blame Pfizer for playing the game by the rules that Obastard and the Rats have set up.

Crony capitalism is the way to stay in business and make a profit.

[dirtboy]

Ping

[JimmyMc]

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it it a ducks
The Obama admiistrations and other libs would have you believe that they were raising money “for the children.”

[denydenydeny]

The story doesn’t mention the billion-dollar goodies for the pharmaceutical industry in Obamacare. It’s not just a coincidence that they’re feting him.

[denydenydeny]

You really can’t blame Pfizer for playing the game by the rules that Obastard and the Rats have set up. Crony capitalism is the way to stay in business and make a profit.

If you live in Chicago, I guess. But I don't want to live in Chicago. I don't want to see America turn into Chicago.

[onona]

Ping

[GeronL]

Hey, we’ll scratch your back if you help put out competitors out of business

[dr_lew]

You really can’t blame Pfizer for playing the game by the rules that Obastard and the Rats have set up.

[digger48]

Wasn’t Phizer behind the Supreme Court sanctioned land grab in Kelo v. New London?

[eaglestar]

Barack the Phizer Obama.

[liberalh8ter]

These people are so deeply ingrained in the culture of corruption they're unable to hide it. It's so second nature to them that they lack any moral compass that would send up the red flag that causes one to self-police decisions. I really fear that society will never recover from the degradation Obama and his Chi-town cronies brought to Washington. DC wasn't corruption-free prior to Obama but nothing compares to these people.

[Pharmboy]

The former CEO of Pfizer, Jeffrey Kindler, was unceremoniously shown the door in December. He was a lawyer and not a pharma insider...he also led the charge for the industry to make a deal with Obama for the pharma side of Obamacare. Pfizer has a history of playing nice with whomever the pols in charge are...like many other big corporations, only more so.

Thanks for the ping...

[sono]

Follow the money ...

[bert]

The funds being raised are but trickle down from the stimulus