Another Black laborer, Benjamin Watkins, described how a Latina co-worker called to him: “‘Hey, monkey! Yeah, you!’ and waved a banana in her hand.

Thirty-two miles away at a Moreno Valley warehouse, it was the same story. “When they look you right in the eye and call you the N-word to your face, that’s dehumanizing.” “They said it in English - they said it in Spanish all the time,” recalled Leon Simmons, a Black father of four with a deep voice and gentle manner. Elected to his current post in 2018, he took contributions during that campaign from pharmaceutical firms, including $500 from AbbVie.Nearly every day, the onetime Ontario warehouse employee said, he was stunned to hear racist slurs from Latino co-workers.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, whose office is overseeing litigation in Illinois against the pharmaceutical industry, took a $1,000 campaign contribution from the pharma trade group in 2006 and $500 from Johnson & Johnson in 2015, both while he was in the General Assembly.

Sarah Sutton, a spokeswoman for the trade group, says: “We engage with policymakers from both sides of the aisle who have a wide array of health care opinions and priorities.”

The pharmaceutical research and manufacturers group gave more than $300,000 over the past two decades to Illinois politicians, including nearly $140,000 to campaign funds that were controlled by Welch’s predecessor, former House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Altogether since 1994, Illinois politicians’ campaign funds collectively have gotten about $450,000 from the four companies involved in the opioid settlement, including about $360,000 from Johnson & Johnson.

We also seek to support candidates who recognize the importance of broad access to quality, affordable health care.”Įarlier this year, Johnson & Johnson was among four companies that agreed to pay $26 billion to settle lawsuits that accused them of making money off the highly addictive painkillers while ignoring the health and well-being of users. Rather, we seek to support candidates who recognize the importance of medical innovation in improving lives and that a fair, market-based system provides the best environment for continued innovation. No donation from any source will ever compromise his values.”Īsked about its political contributions, a Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman points to a statement on the company’s website that says: “We do not expect candidates who receive contributions from our employee political action committee or our company to agree with our positions on all or any specific policy issues. Opioid cash won’t ‘compromise his values’Īsked about why he keeps taking that money, a spokesman for the Illinois Democrat, rather than answering questions, says: “Over two decades in office, President Harmon has tirelessly fought for progressive policies that make the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share, lower health care costs for working families and protect consumers from abuse.

Harmon won’t talk about taking campaign contributions from companies linked to the opioid crisis.

$7,500 over the past two years from firms that lobby on behalf of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a Washington, D.C., trade group to which Johnson & Johnson and other opioid sellers belong.

$2,000 in December from Fidelity Consulting Group LLC, a Rosemont lobbying firm that lobbies for Johnson & Johnson.$2,000 in 2020 from a Johnson & Johnson fund.

$2,000 last September from a Johnson & Johnson political action committee.

Cardinal health careers