Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Absentee Schimel ducks opioid fight, counties step in

GOP WI AG Brad Schimel's 

appalling distance from the opioid crisis continues to be filled by the counties:  
Milwaukee County sued several pharmaceutical drug makers and distributors Wednesday in federal district court in Milwaukee for creating a public nuisance and violating federal racketeering laws while contributing to a local opioid epidemic of addiction and overdose deaths.  
Which is what you get with intentional, GOP-led, one-party-dominated 'chamber of commerce' governance.

How crazy is it that dozens of Wisconsin counties are separately filing lawsuits or teaming up with others while state corporate bellhops like Schimel and fellow Republican-and-electioneering Scott Walker won't use their powerful and effective legal tools to fight the opioid nightmare at its well-heeled, anything-for-profits source?

Our GOP Attorney General continues to give these horrible corporate actors a pass by refusing to sue or join other states' litigation - - hey, it's an election year, and he's probably distracted by having to dodge Trump and run for re-election posing as an independent.

Most professional boxers could do that much simultaneous bobbing, weaving and back-pedaling.

As One Wisconsin Now recently put it: 
Another Republican Attorney General Not Named Brad Schimel Goes to Court to Hold Opioid Manufacturer Accountable
But Schimel had no problem spending state money and staff time galore suing the Obama administration repeatedly to roll back clean air and water public health rules, or to uphold the state's blatant, pro-GOP gerrymandering, so Schimel can't say he has to be careful with his budget.

So remember this little timeline the next time Schimel feigns dedication to fighting crime and using his vast resources the way a state's 'top cop' indeed should.
Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel reports progress on limiting access to opioids, says suing drug makers not as effective

Milwaukee (CBS 58)-In a live interview seen on the CBS 58 News at 4 Monday, Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel is reporting positive action in fighting the opioid crisis which is claiming lives in record numbers.
Schimel acknowledged that the drugs on the streets are more potent than ever before, but says Wisconsin has been highly successful at limiting access and reducing the amount of pain killers that wind up on the streets.
Two months - - January 6, 2018  - - later,: How's that "highly successful" effort going? 
Wisconsin leads nation in increased opioid hospitalizations 


2 comments:

nonquixote said...

Curious, not at all, that Schimel announced his re-election bid right after his series of private meetings with particular invited elected county officials around the state. Maybe he'll investigate himself for the appearance of election campaigning on the public dime. Right.

Jake formerly of the LP said...

Criminal Schimel may be more bought and dumber than Walker, which is really hard to do.

Get behind Josh Kaul, and let's show corporate slime that they also must be held accountable.