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Feingold leads charge against Amgen's 'fiscal cliff' win
Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) launched a petition Tuesday slamming drug maker Amgen for a controversial lobbying win in the recent "fiscal cliff" deal.
In an email to supporters of his political group, Progressives United, Feingold called on Amgen to "give back" the $500 million it will make from language that delayed Medicare price controls over one of the firm's drugs. The New York Times previously reported that Amgen was the only company to lobby for the provision.
"This is lavish and corrupt corporate welfare at its most insidious, and it's not just a problem with Washington. We may not have our own lobbyists, but Amgen owes it to us — their customers — to use their own expensive lobbyists to give back the very giveaway they just wheedled out of Congress," Feingold wrote.
"Amgen's strategy to achieve this coup was certainly brilliant, and a perfect example of the kind of corruption that permeates our government and cripples public trust," Feingold wrote, citing reportedly close ties between Amgen and the offices of Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Amgen has pushed back since news broke of the deal on Jan. 19, saying the delay in price controls will provide Medicare "with the time needed to develop quality metrics and further develop [its] data systems — both things pivotal to providing quality patient care." The firm also noted that congressional auditors had recommended the delay.
Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced a bill last week to repeal the agreement.
