7 Pharma Execs Testified Before The Senate On Drug Prices. Here’s How Many Millions They Make A Year

Five of the seven pharmaceutical companies who sent executives to testify on drug pricing before the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday have the top-25 highest paid pharma CEOs for companies in the S&P 500.

CEOs from AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, Pfizer and Sanofi plus Johnson & Johnson’s executive vice president of pharmaceuticals, Jennifer Taubert, were grilled by Senate Finance Chair Chuck Grassley and other lawmakers at the hearing.

Altogether, the top-25 CEOs whose companies were represented Tuesday received a combined $116,671,792 in compensation, including stock and stock options, in 2017, according to analysis by The Wall Street Journal. That number includes annual compensation for former Pfizer CEO Ian Read, who ceded the position to new CEO Albert Bourla in January. Bourla testified before the committee Tuesday.

Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky rakes in the most out of the CEOs, with yearly compensation valued at $29,802,564, according to The WSJ. Taubert, who repped Johnson & Johnson and its pharmaceutical arm Janssen at Tuesday’s hearing, has no annual compensation data available according to Bloomberg. (RELATED: Grassley Reminds Pharma CEOs How Much Drug List Prices Matter During Hearing)

The runner-up is former Pfizer CEO Ian Read, who had yearly compensation of more than $27 million. He had agreed to delay implementing proposed prescription drug price increases after speaking with President Donald Trump in July. Trump told the company it should be “ashamed” of its price increases in a July 9 tweet.

The CEOs of Abbvie and Bristol-Myers Squibb round out the top 10 highest-paid executives on The WSJ’s list. AbbVie CEO Richard Gonzalez made more than $22 million in 2017, and Bristol-Myers Squibb CEO Giovanni Caforio made more than $18 million in 2017.

https://dailycaller.com/2019/02/27/pharma-senate-hearing-salary/

Congress Sees U.S. Recognition of Israeli Control Over Golan Heights as ‘Slam Dunk’

Lawmakers renew bid to back Israel's full control of contested territory

Leading Republican senators are renewing efforts to formally recognize the contested Golan Heights region on Israel's northern border as officially part of the Jewish state, according to U.S. officials who described this effort to the Washington Free Beacon as a "slam dunk."

Sens. Ted Cruz (R., Texas), Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R., Wis.) introduced on Wednesday dual resolutions that would make America the first country to recognize Israeli control of the Golan Heights, contested territory captured by Israel from Syria in the 1960s.

While the area has sat in legal limbo, U.S. officials say it is critical the American government move to recognize Israel's total control of the territory in light of emerging threats from Iranian forces and terrorist entities situated on the Jewish state's northern border in Syria and Lebanon.

Lawmakers undertook a similar effort in the last Congress and officials familiar with the matter told the Free Beacon they see enough momentum on both sides of the aisle to pass a resolution affirming Israel's right to the territory.

"This is a slam dunk," one senior GOP congressional staffer involved in advancing the legislation told the Free Beacon. "Everyone supports Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Republicans and Democrats in Congress say it should happen, all the way up to Democratic leadership in the House. The Prime Minister of Israel called for it just a few weeks ago. Experts tell us it's necessary for the U.S. and Israel because of Iran's presence in Syria."

The Golan Heights has emerged as a key piece of territory as militants spill out of Syria and begin to conduct strikes against Israel. In the past months, Iranian-backed forces operating on Israel's northern border have launched a series of terror strikes, which experts view as firm proof Israel should have control of the territory.

The Israeli government agrees and is said to have communicated this position to scores of lawmakers and officials in the Trump administration.

https://freebeacon.com/national-security/congress-sees-u-s-recognition-of-israeli-control-over-golan-heights-as-slam-dunk/

Of 27 Deadliest Mass Shooters, 26 of Them Were Fatherless

Suzanne Venker’s recent opinion piece on FoxNews is very, very important, because she points out that almost all of the most recent deadly mass shooters have one thing in common: fatherlessness.

She begins by pointing out a tweet after the terrible shooting in Florida last week. Actor and comedian Michael Ian Black began a series of tweets in this way, “Deeper even than the gun problem is this: boys are broken.”

Venker goes on to describe how his “tweet storm” strayed from the truth:

Unfortunately, Black quickly veered off course. “Men don’t have the language to understand masculinity as anything other than some version of a caveman because no language exists…The language of masculinity is hopelessly entwined with sexuality, and the language of sexuality in hopelessly entwined with power, agency, and self-worth…To step outside those norms is to take a risk most of us are afraid to take. As a result, a lot of guys spend their lives terrified…We’re terrified of being viewed as something other than men. We know ourselves to be men, but don’t know how to be our whole selves. A lot of us (me included) either shut off or experience deep shame or rage. Or all three. Again: men are terrified.”

Mr. Black is not the first to attack masculinity and suggest it’s at the root of all evil. Indeed, the phrase ‘toxic masculinity’ has become boilerplate language in America.

It’s not a hard sell, either. After all, it is boys and men who are typically to blame for violent acts of aggression. Ergo, testosterone—the defining hormone of masculinity—must be to blame. But testosterone has been around forever. School shootings have not.

Mr. Black is correct that boys are broken. But they’re not broken as a result of being cavemen who haven’t “evolved” the way women have. They’re broken for another reason.

They are fatherless.

Yes, yes, and a thousand times yes.

https://governmentslaves.news/2019/02/27/of-27-deadliest-mass-shooters-26-of-them-were-fatherless/

Maryland Democrat Apologizes For Allegedly Calling County A ‘N* District’

A Maryland Democratic lawmaker apologized to the state’s Legislative Black Caucus Monday after calling a district in Prince George’s County a “n* district.”

Del. Mary Ann Lisanti, who is white, was approached by the caucus regarding her alleged remarks Monday night, after news broke that Lisanti had said the racial slur at a cigar bar in Annapolis, Maryland, while speaking to a colleague, who was also white, after work late one night.

The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland chair, Del. Darryl Barnes, said Lisanti apologized multiple times but also added he thinks anyone who uses the word is “a reflection of what’s in their heart,” The Washington Post reported.

“She apologized several times,” Barnes, a Democrat, said. “She recognizes how she has hurt so many within the caucus, and she hoped to repent from this. She said that she doesn’t remember fully what happened, but she recognizes what happened.”

“I do think that someone who uses the word, it’s a reflection of what’s in their heart,” Barnes said.

Lisanti was reportedly questioned about the use of the racial slur in early February. She denied ever using the word but also said she did not remember much of that night. Lisanti also said she is sure she has used the racial slur before in her life.

“I don’t recall that. … I don’t recall much of that evening,” Lisanti said to The Washington Post. She was also asked if she had ever used the racial slur before. “I’m sure I have. … I’m sure everyone has used it. I’ve used the f-word. I used the Lord’s name in vain,” she said.

Maryland Democratic House Speaker Michael E. Busch condemned the comments, saying Lisanti should “face the consequences of her behavior” and that “there is no place in the House of Delegates for any racial slurs — or slurs of any kind in society in general.”

Barnes said it is possible the Black Caucus gives other recommendations to House leadership about Lisanti’s position in the state House.

https://dailycaller.com/2019/02/26/maryland-democrat-n-district-slur/?fbclid=IwAR1GnM681TutLTm5RhImk40uXMFRDdIoTYQ5aC2U33FVs94q8QSyC9czyPM