Legal Commentary

Tauzin Leaves PhRMA Over Potential Failure Of Health Bill, Blames Rahm?

By Big Tent Democrat

Via Atrios, a fascinating story:

Billy Tauzin, one of Washington’s highest-paid lobbyists, is resigning as president of the drug industry trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America amid internal disputes over its pact with the White House to trade political support for favorable terms in the proposed health care overhaul. As the industry’s top lobbyist, Mr. Tauzin brokered the deal with the White House and Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate finance committee, last summer to limit the drug industry’s total costs under the proposed health care overhaul to $80 billion over 10 years.

[. . .] Like almost every other seasoned Washington player, Mr. Tauzin, who makes $2 million a year, bet on health care reform early – only to watch it come to a screeching halt. [. . . A]fter the health care overhaul stalled when Democrats lost the Massachusetts Senate seat, some industry leaders felt the trade group had gone too far giving concessions and could lose on some important legislative issues without gaining the protection it had sought. [. . .] A friend of Mr. Tauzin, speaking on condition of anonymity, defended his role, arguing that it was not his fault the overhaul went off track.

(Emphasis supplied.) The Tauzin and Rahmbo Show to deflect blame on the health care reform debacle will be amuusing to watch.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on February 12, 2010 (boomark / email).