'Pharma bro' Martin Shkreli smirks and stays silent before Congress
Former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli came before the House Committee on Oversight and Government reform on Thursday for the . Although forced to attend, Mr. Shkreli remained silent at the hearing.
Shkreli became notorious throughout the United States in September, when of the antiparasitic drug Daraprim by 5,556 percent, from $13.50 to $750 a pill.
The price hikes were judged particularly heinous because they rendered it impossible for many to pay for the drug.
In December, Shkreli was arrested on regarding another company he owned.
From the beginning of the hearing, Shkreli asserted his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, answering, 鈥淥n the advice of counsel, I invoke my Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination and respectfully ,鈥� to nearly every question.
Although committee members tried repeatedly to encourage Shkreli to speak, he maintained a stubborn silence as advocated by his lawyer. Even when committee members told Shkreli that his responses to questions that were not related to unrelated fraud charges against him would not be used against him, Shkreli continued to remain silent.
Shkreli , occasionally twirling his pencil in a way that was perceived as contemptuous.
As Shkreli smirked in silence, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D) of Maryland told Shkreli, 鈥淚t鈥檚 not funny, Mr. Shkreli. . They are also getting sicker and sicker.鈥�
Eventually, the committee allowed Shkreli to leave the room, due to his refusal to answer any questions.
"I think it's extraordinarily unfair that Turing has been singled out for the type of unfair publicity they have received,鈥� said Shkreli鈥檚 lawyer Ben Brafman. 鈥淚 think everyone will recognize that Mr. Shkreli is not a villain, .鈥�
Turing is not the only pharmaceuticals company to engage in . Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Rodelis Therapeutics are both under investigation by Congress for their role in ratcheting up the price of heart and tuberculosis drugs, respectively.
Valeant鈥檚 practices were also in question at Thursday鈥檚 hearing. Both companies have been called morally bankrupt for their pricing decisions.
Shkreli鈥檚 smirks have captured the news, but despite his stony silence, dialogue did occur at the hearing today. Unlike Shkreli, Turing鈥檚 chief commercial officer Nancy Retzlaff and Valeant interim CEO Howard Schiller not only attended the hearing, but they also .
Due to the way the insurance system functions, Mr. Schiller told Congress that although drug companies could give cost assistance to individuals with commercial insurance coverage and those without insurance at all, patients with Medicare coverage were ineligible for aid.
Despite these assertions, Reuters reports that Schiller adopted a conciliatory tone, saying, "Where we have made mistakes, we are listening and changing"
Although Retzlaff and Schiller answered questions, some observers judged their .
The best known instance of individuals making use of their Fifth Amendment rights in a congressional hearing occurred after World War II, during the second Red Scare. Members of the Hollywood Ten pleaded the Fifth before the House Committee on Un-American Activities during anti-Communist investigations. They were consequently cited for contempt of Congress and became the founding members of the .
Rep. John Mica (D) of Florida asked the committee chairman if Shkreli would be held in contempt of Congress. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e ever seen the committee treated with such contempt,"聽Rep. Mica said
Despite his obvious disgust with Shkreli鈥檚 behavior, committee chairman Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R) of Utah declined to hold him in contempt. 聽After leaving the room, Shkreli tweeted, saying:
