Byron Dorgan saying WH linked to killing his drug imp. bill.

[napi21]

“It’s ironic that President Obama campaigned for drug importation during the election,” said Dorgan, noting that Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, pushed it hard as an Illinois congressman. Dorgan said he can’t get answers from the administration about what’s going on, though he called the White House and FDA prior to the vote.

Last week, he said he heard rumors that the FDA was going to send a letter objecting to drug importation on safety grounds, which he has said is a bogus reason. He said he called FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, who said she knew nothing about such a letter.

He said his timeline shows that a letter, signed by Hamburg questioning the safety of drug imports, was sent 24 hours later to a few senators who opposed importation. That piece of paper became a rallying cry for other senators who voted down Dorgan’s amendment.

“I think the letter was prompted, probably drafted somewhere else,” like “the White House” Dorgan said.

??? I don't believe the WH tried to kil the drug bill!

[DrDan]

1. I can absolutely believe it

there was a deal cut - and this will keep it intact.

[still_one]

2. If that is true, then we have a lot of house cleaning to do in 2010 and 2012 /nt

[Mass]

3. Of course, they did. I thought it was obvious. The WH is afraid that the amendment will sink the

global bill. (Why do you think GOPers who always opposed it in the past were voting for it the other day ? Because they saw the light?).

Pharma has not advertised against the HCR bill until now (whether or not because they had a deal with the WH is a different question). The concern was that they would start to put big dollars against it.

[TiberiusGracchus]

4. Yep, Axelrod pretty much admitted that nothing will be allowed to endanger the deal with PhRMA