Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic candidate for governor in New Jersey, has accepted over $25,000 in campaign donations from a large pharmaceutical company implicated in the opioid crisis. This came to light during a crucial debate where her Republican opponent, Jack Ciatarelli, accused her of partaking in the same issue he claims she’s criticizing him for.
During the debate, Sherrill surprised many by connecting Ciatarelli’s publishing firm to the opioid-related fatalities in New Jersey. She stated, “He killed tens of thousands of people by publishing misinformation” that minimized the dangers of opioids, clearly taken aback by the implications of her words.
Records indicate that three Democratic Congressional campaigns received substantial donations from various pharmaceutical companies linked to the opioid epidemic: $17,000 from Johnson & Johnson, $4,500 from Teva Pharmaceuticals PAC, $3,000 from AmerisourceBergen Political Action Committee, and $1,000 from Endo Pharmaceuticals PAC.
The donations were first brought to public attention by a news report.
AmerisourceBergen had faced a lawsuit from the Justice Department in 2022 for allegedly failing to report suspicious orders of dangerous drugs. That same year, the company agreed to a $6.1 billion settlement to resolve most state and local opioid-related lawsuits.
Johnson & Johnson, a significant contributor to opioid ingredients, also settled for up to $5 billion, while Teva agreed to a $4.2 billion settlement.
Interestingly, Ciatarelli himself received $500 from Johnson & Johnson and $1,500 from Mallinckrodt LLC PAC, which had its own significant settlement related to opioids a few years back.
Sherrill’s campaign communications director defended her, stating that she stands up for her family and has fought against the opioid crisis, including her role in passing a bipartisan bill under President Trump aimed at New Jersey’s treatment and prevention efforts.
Responding to the article that criticized Sherrill, the campaign spokesperson characterized it as a “desperate attack” from Ciatarelli, who has not addressed his connections to misinformation spread during the crisis.
Ciatarelli has since announced his intention to sue Sherrill for defamation, denouncing her remarks as reckless and a smear campaign.
During the previous gubernatorial race in 2021, critics pointed out that Ciatarelli’s former company, Galen Publishing, had published misleading materials that echoed pharmaceutical industry narratives about opioid use.
One such article highlighted concerns about the misuse of painkillers among young people, pointing out the barriers this misuse creates in managing pain effectively. It was noted that this publication was part of an arrangement with the University of Tennessee, backed by multiple pharmaceutical companies.
Ciatarelli sold Galen Publishing in 2017.
