Purdue Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturers of killer drug OxyContin, is considering bankruptcy to cancel the 1,600 lawsuits against it.
More than 200,000 people have died because of opioid addiction.
Governor Raimondo of Rhode Island is not returning contributions from Jonathan Sackler, although other elected officials have done so.
The Sackler family is worth about $14 billion based on the success of their addictive drug. Jonathan Sackler is a major donor to charter schools. He founded ConnCAN and is a board member of 50CAN and other charter-promoting organizations.
I have often wondered whether their grand mansions are haunted by the ghosts of those killed by OxyContin.
A report on Monday by Reuters said that embattled OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma is considering bankruptcy to shield itself from more than 1,600 lawsuits, including by the State of Rhode Island and by multiple Rhode Island cities and towns.
“The potential move shows how Purdue and its wealthy owners, the Sackler family, are under pressure to respond to mounting litigation accusing the company of misleading doctors and patients about risks associated with prolonged use of its prescription opioids,” reported Reuters.
The Sacklers rank as the 19th richest family in the United States according to Business Insider.
Jonathan Sackler, who has been a board member of Purdue Pharma, and his wife Mary Corson, are significant donors to Governor Gina Raimondo. Raimondo, who has said in the past she supports the Rhode Island lawsuit against Purdue Pharma, has refused to donate or return the donations from the Sacklers.
In contrast, Lt Governor Dan McKee donated campaign donations from Sackler and Corson to Rhode Island agencies that treat substance abuse.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Raimondo won’t return the donations because she’s steeped in the culture of personal gain through political office. She is cozy with hedge funds. She’s Cory Booker’s ally in aiding the rich.
The Democratic Governors Association has a submission form at its site. Gina heads the group, let them know what you think about establishment Dems keeping money from the Sacklers.
The Sacklers probably have reserve cash stashed offshore in case their drug empire came crashing down. The rich always have a plan and a team of lawyers to help them squirm out of their obligations. The poor have no such loophole. If someone goes bankrupt, it is unlikely that student debt will be discharged. There have been a few cases in which a good lawyer have pleaded undue hardship, but good lawyers costs lots of money.
While I don’t have an family members that struggle with opium addition, I feel connected to this crisis by geography. My old neighborhood in Philly is a destination for opium abusers. I grew up in Kensington, in what was a blue collar neighborhood of small row homes where textile workers once lived. The factories have long since closed, and the neighborhood has deteriorated as a result. The area now has one of the highest concentration of opium users in the country. It is a destination for opium users throughout the country because drugs are readily available. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/magazine/kensington-heroin-opioid-philadelphia.html
Correct me if I’m wrong, but during the G. W. Bush administration, Bankruptcy laws were changed through legislation so working people that file bankruptcy cannot be excused from their debt but are required to restructure the debt payments and keep paying – until death and then if they left an estate worth anything, that is also swallowed up to pay on or off the debt – but corporations are still allowed to file for bankruptcy and ask to have all debts excused.
Corporations are corporations only when its beneficial to them.
In Citizens United they became persons because it advantaged them.