To: Interested Parties
From: Adam Smith, Communications Director, Public Campaign
Date: April 21, 2011
RE: Today’s Field Hearing by the House Oversight Committee

Today, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, will hold a field hearing in California entitled, “Federal Policies Affecting Innovation and Job Growth in the Biotech and Pharmaceutical Industries.” In reality, it’s a hearing to give the pharmaceutical industry – and industry that has given nearly $300,000 to Issa – the chance to enter their complaints into the Congressional record.

A Public Campaign analysis of Federal Election Commission records and data found at the Center for Responsive Politics website found the following:

• Duane Roth (Chairman of the Board, Alliance Pharmaceutical Corporation), a witness testifying at today’s hearing, has donated $5,500 to Issa’s campaigns. In addition, Roth has donated thousands of dollars to the National Republican Congressional Committee, the San Diego Republican Central Committee, and the Lincoln Club of San Diego County (both in Issa’s district).

• Alex Lukianov (CEO, Nuvasive, Inc.), another witness, and with his wife have donated $19,270 to federal candidates and committees since 2007, including more than $6,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee, and nearly $10,000 to the Republican National Committee.

• Overall, Rep. Issa’s campaign committee has received $267,114 in pharmaceutical industry campaign contributions during his time in Congress. Pharmaceutical money makes up the top industry donating to Issa’s campaigns over the years.

• In 2010 alone, Issa received $72,500 from the industry.

• In addition, Issa’s leadership political action committee, ISSA PAC, has received $29,000 over the past two election cycles from pharmaceutical interests.

• At least 83 percent of the pharmaceutical industry donations to Issa’s campaign committee have come from PACs of 25 different pharmaceutical corporations.