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A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 7 January 2019

Drugmakers seek sanctions over ‘60 Minutes’ comments

Associated Press Cleveland.com reports
CLEVELAND (AP) — Several that Moore declined to
drug manufacturers target- comment Friday because
ed in lawsuits over the opi- he hadn’t seen the motion
oid epidemic have asked a and that LeBlanc didn’t
federal judge in Cleveland immediately respond to
to sanction the man who a voicemail. Phone and
is Ohio’s attorney general email messages seeking
and governor-elect, along comment were left for both
with two other lawyers, for attorneys Sunday by The
statements they made in Associated Press.
recent television interviews. The motion comes amid
Friday’s motion said state- preparations for a Septem-
ments by Republican At- ber trial over claims against
torney General and Gov.- drug companies by the cit-
elect Mike DeWine and ies of Cleveland and Akron
the others on an episode and their respective coun-
of CBS’ “60 Minutes” were ties, Cuyahoga and Sum-
calculated to taint poten- mit. The cases are among
tial jury pools, Cleveland. scores from around the
com reported . country being heard by U.S.
DeWine and attorneys Mike District Judge Dan Polster.
Moore and Burton LeBlanc A group represented by
were part of a Dec. 16 seg- In this Nov. 13, 2018, file photo Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine speaks during a news DeWine filed its own law-
ment on the news maga- conference in Waverly, Ohio. suits over fallout from the
zine show about litigation Associated Press opioid epidemic. A second,
over the role of big phar- The motion was filed by governments “to taint po- as attorneys practicing be- larger group has joined a
maceutical companies attorneys for several drug tential jury pools . through fore this Court and threat- multistate investigation of
in the deadly opioid epi- manufacturers and dis- misleading, inflammatory, ens defendants’ rights to the industry.
demic. Correspondent Bill tributors, including Cardi- and improper public state- a fair adjudication of the The suits accuse pharma-
Whitaker explored topics nal Health, Endo, Ameri- ments.” The motion asks claims asserted against ceutical companies of
including the value of po- sourceBergen and Purdue the judge to impose a gag them.” Attorney General’s downplaying the addictive
tential damages and data Pharma. It alleges DeW- order and other sanctions. Office spokesman Dan Tier- nature of opioids and pre-
on pill distribution in states ine, Moore and LeBlanc The defendants claim the ney told The Associated scription painkillers largely
and cities collected by the were part of a “concerted men’s statements repre- Press in an email Saturday blamed for one of the
U.S. Drug Enforcement Ad- campaign” by lawyers rep- sented “a flagrant violation night that Dewine “respect- deadliest drug crises in U.S.
ministration. resenting state and local of their ethical obligations fully declines comment.” history.q