Power Alley: The Wildly-Outsized Pfizer Q4 2020 Lobby Spend, And What It Bought — As Trump Fell Into… Irrelevancy

As the graphic at right indicates, Mr. Frazier at Merck likely was able to see that Baby-T’s reign of chaos was drawing to a close, by the early Fall of 2020. So he cut his lobby spend. In truth, Pfizer has been more than doubling Kennilworth for nearly six years, running now — but most larger life sciences companies pull back — as a Presidential cycle draws to a close, since the new Administration may see things differently than the prior one. In my lifetime, that has never been more true (except as a close second, with 2008 and the arrival of BHO 44 and what became the ACA of 2010 looming), than in this cylce.

Mr. Biden was clear that real health care reform would be one of his priorities. And he was the rowing oar, on passing the ACA (or Obamacare), through Congress in early 2010. So, while Baby-T accomplished nothing on any pharma related front in four years, it was clear Mr. Biden would — and he already has, with his executive orders on access, just 10 days in.

Which brings me to. . . why did Pfizer keep spending, apace, in Q4 2020? Did it miss, in seeing the truth, through the fog of the sinking “Boaters for T”? Or the super spreader rallies? Who knows? Who cares, really? It certainly was. . . stupid. Here’s a bit of where that money went:

. . .▲ Drug Pricing, Biosimilars, Drug Shortages, Out of Pocket Costs, Rebate Reform, Vaccine Infrastructure and Drug Importation. . . .

▲ Medicare Part D, Coverage Gap, Rebate Reform, Out of Pocket Costs, Price Transparency and International Reference Pricing/Most Favored Nations. . . .

▲ Comprehensive Corporate Tax Reform, International Tax Reform, OECD Profit Allocation, and Manufacturing Credits. . . .

▲ Foreign Market Access Issues (including IPR), NAFTA/USMCA, International Supply Chain/Buy America, U.S.- U.K. Trade Negotiations, and U.S. – Kenya FTA. . . .

We see that Baby-T’s vaccine logistics game was woefully deficient; perhaps (being charitable here), Pfizer was trying to help Congress see that T was botching it — as over 420,000 died. Who knows?

Onward, grinning — at the perfectly azure skies, and the blazingly white thick carpet of snow here. . . . be excellent to one another — it is almost 40 degrees in the afternoon sunshine!

नमस्ते

“Of Putting The Cart Before The Horse” — Down In South Texas, USDC Judge Tipton Doesn’t Understand… His Job.

Ahem. Several US Supreme Court cases, recent ones, too — make it clear that Texas has no standing to complain about lawful changes in US immigration policies. That would mean that a US District Court Judge, sitting in the Southern District of Texas, would be required to immediately dismiss a claim of breach of contract, or one for any “extra costs”, to the extent the same resulted from nation-wide, uniform, immigration policy changes, on and after a lawful transfer of power in the US — the change, as of January 20, of administrations. [The difference here — with practically all of Baby-T’s orders — was that they plainly contravened US statutes, on these topics. Texas makes no such cloroable claim.] No — Mr. Biden’s, by contrast, simply restore our treaty-level procedures, to what the statutes require of the US government, in terms of limited due process for undocumented persons.

But as I’ve said since the jump, Judge Tipton is ignoring his threshold duty here (getting his own cart in front of the horse), as a court of limited jursdiction — he is required to first determine whether he has any colorable right to hear the matter. Hint: he doesn’t. Given how inartfully Texas pleaded its claim, it wouldn’t matter if the answers to the below questions were 10, or 100, or 1,000. . . or even one million. The questions — however they are answered, indicate that the current Administration is determining who is and is not deportable. That is required under the statute, and ever more so — since it is undisputed that the prior administration (in Michigan, particularly, in 2019) was unlawfully immediately seeking the removal, without process — of even US citizens (in that case, one who had served in the middle east for our armed forces).

In sum, Judge Tipton, only ever a civil labor litigator, never a judge at all before — and only six months in total experience, on this Baby-T appointed federal bench, and coming out of an “education” at the fourth tier South Texas College of Law (Houston!?)… is plainly not up to doing this complex job, At all. Here’s the full three pager, for reference, as a PDF — and the bit that is most clearly beyond even his arguable jurisdictional reach:

…February 10, 2021 DEFENDANTS’ PRODUCTION OF THE FOLLOWING DATA:

1) the number of individuals in custody or detention for immigration violations;

2) the number of individuals currently subject to final orders of removal, whether in custody or not;

3) the number of individuals subject to a final order of removal that have been released from custody or detention into the United States from January 20, 2021 to present;

4) the number of individuals subject to a final order of removal who have been released into the United States from custody from January 20, 2019 to the present;

5) the number of individuals subject to a final order of removal who have been released into the United States from custody from January 20, 2019 to the present who have failed to return or
appear for their hearing or removal;

6) the percentage of individuals subject to a final order of removal who have actually been removed from January 20, 2019 to the present….

The inexperienced, lost lil’ lamb of a judge in Texas is effectively ordering discovery — on matters that are wholly irrelevant to deciding whether he will ever have jurisdiction. No, he’s “hip deep now, in alligators” — in a matter he undoubtedly lacks the ability to hear, or ask for… anything. That is true — until and unless Texas can establish his jurisdiction — and that they have not done. In fact, Judge Tipton hasn’t really even asked them about it. That alone would be… disqualifying.

One could be forgiven for thinking all he is doing is trying to score what he wrongly imagines are… political points, by suggesting that the Biden Administration is being “too soft“, here. Good grief….

Snow shoveled — time for a very hot bath, warm cookies… and then some soft, well worn flannel sheeets. I’m out… grinning.

नमस्ते

Wow. Self Awareness, John? Turning… Post Trump? Cool.

Paul finally gets it.

His post script… to John’s tonight — is all there is to say.

The GOP is dead.

No wake. No service. No hollowed ground.

Just… the fire.

It was a… suicide. Only now does Hinderaker see it.

But John caused it too… as did his blogger cohort… as did the Congressional “leaders”. Not one spoke against Trump and his mob of animals. Now they all reap… that whirlwind.

All of you may write Hinderaker directly at this address, from time to time:

powerlinefeedback@gmail.com

Bub-bye guys.

[U, X2] Live Blog [Completed] — Texas “Dead Hand” Case… Judge Tipton Is… Like A Squirrel, Running All Over The Place — Getting Nothing Done; Making Political Speeches.

Keep refreshing, I will be adding to this.

Everyone is trying to make this happen quickly. . . . Judge Tipton doesn’t seem to understand the immigration implications. He thinks of it all as simple civil monetary litigation. It is death sentences — for many of the deported. This judge just completely ignores the ongoing harm to real people under ICE detainers, some clearly in violation of US treaties and applicable federal laws.

. . .▲ Very limited fact gathering, set for this weekend.

▲ For now, limits set: of five requests to admit, and 5 to 7 interrogatories. . . .

▲ FEIL Houston & RAICES counsel (for undocumented persons) is up, patiently explaining how Judge Tipton doesn’t understand that the people under the 100 days pause are not criminals who’ve served their sentences under and on regular 18 USC domestic crimes. . . and the FEIL counsel continues. . . there are Constitutional obligations to verify that applicable law was followed, before summary removal occurs. . . .

▲ Judge Tipton is willfully ignoring the notion that Texas has no standing to even be before the court’s bar, this morning. He keeps asking Texas to explain why it is a politically popular thing to do — to swiftly deport supposed “criminals”. . . there is zero evidence that these are the same people. . . . [His lack of basic understanding of the dimensions of his job, here is. . . jaw slacking.]

▲ He doesn’t just put the cart before the horse, he puts the entire army in front of a tiny rabbit, to pull the entire supply train. . . .

▲ The FEIL Houston (undocumented persons’) counsel makes clear that as a practical matter, people who have final removal orders are often detained for years — including in circumstances where there are treaty-level issues with their removal (diplomatic issues, for example) and the Texas claim to the contrary is just 100% dead wrong, factually.

▲ Texas had earlier this morning claimed — entirely falsely, that up to 14,000 criminals could be released immediately under the 100 day pause memo. . . .

▲ Counsel for the Biden Administration (Kirschner) has filed a six-page affidavit today, that proves the 14,000 people to be released claim false. In fact, about 50 people (almost exclusively for COVID-19 high risk factors) were released — in all of Texas. . . and about 160, nation-wide, before Tipton’s TRO.

▲ Judge Tipton just blithely ignored this glaring factual variance — one upon which his TRO rests. He is now scurrying onward, like a squirrel on a double espresso. . . .

▲ It seems reasonably clear Judge Tipton doesn’t want to make any real serious decisions (preferring to joke about type fonts and word counts), beyond his earlier limited TRO — hoping it will go up on appeal shortly. Based on today’s chaotic, non-lawyerly, scramble all over the place non-“status” hearing — I expect it will be out of his hands in about a week. One way or another.

▲ Tipton is going to extend the TRO — lawlessly.

▲ Specifically, Texas brief due February 5; US brief Feb. 12, Reply Feb. 16 — Hearing Feb. 19. With TRO expiring on February 23. . . . [it will be into the Fifth Circuit before any of that happens, is my guess.]

▲ He now orders a voluminous administrative record — in a matter that plainly does not give him any jurisdiction.

▲ Confidential nota bene — to Mr. Biden: Time to seek immediate appeal. . . .

Onward. Judge Tipton keeps talking the politics of the prior administration. . . it is. . . alarming. He is plainly taking political support arguments, from Texas, on the record — rather than addressing the law. He accepts declarations that law enforcement “likes” what Texas has attempted.

It may be time to seek a transfer of judge, of right here — for incompetence, if not outright. . . pro-Trump bias.

नमस्ते

Friday Morning Trivia: Of Parler’s TRO Loss, & Next Moves — On Slow Track In Seattle Federal Court…

Amazon will not have to respond to Parler until March 22, 2021.

Y A W N.

Yep, it is in hibernation — for the winter, now.

Here is the revised schedule, as entered yesterday. Hilarious.

Oh. And… John Matze, the CEO of Parler — posting on that rudimentary front page / outage status updater (still hosted by state actor-connected Russian servers)… tried to join in on the Bernie mittens meme — only to fail, and fail resoundingly. Nothing about Parler… is remotely funny, or Berner-progressive. Full stop.

Matze’s business model is over, and he knows it.

Laudable Private Advocacy Groups Move To Intervene, In Texas Before Judge Tipton, Tomorrow — To Help Mr. Biden Protect The Undocumented…

This may very well become a full on national news. . . sensation: a plainly Republican leaning Judge (with a life-time appointment from Agent Orange a mere year ago), being shown a wide array of controlling Supreme Court precedents, that directly prevent him from (lawfully, at least) protecting Gov. Abbott and A.G. Ken Paxson any longer, in their Quixotic quest to make the state of Texas (from whole cloth) some form of an ill-described super-nation, with veto powers over the US federal government’s clearly enumerated prerogatives.

Here is the full 23 page filing, and a bit:

…The implications of this suit are sweeping: Texas claims an effective veto on national immigration policy, and it seeks to upend a new Administration’s first steps towards setting national immigration enforcement policy just days after it took office.

But this is not just a fight among governments over sovereign power; this case involves serious human stakes. The injunction that Texas seeks will place noncitizens around the country at risk of deportation, even though many of them have paths to regularize their immigration status, claim humanitarian protection, or seek long-term grants of prosecutorial discretion in their favor. Their interests are acute and their perspectives are distinct from those of the parties.

Proposed Intervenors are two organizations whose members and clients include vulnerable noncitizens at risk of deportation and other serious adverse consequences if Texas is successful. To protect their interests, provide the Court with the organizations’ expertise regarding the immigration system, and share the perspective of directly impacted communities, Proposed Intervenors move to intervene in this action. “Federal courts should allow intervention where no one would be hurt and the greater justice could be attained.” Texas v. United States, 805 F.3d 653, 657 (5th Cir. 2015)….

Indeed — we will live blog it all tomorrow at Noon Chicago, 1 PM Eastern. Buckle-up — grinning!

नमस्ते

Texas AG Paxson Offers Nothing But Lunacy, On TRO Schedule — So, The Biden Administration Plays Hardball, Now.

The Texas Governor and AG now seek to stretch their improvidently granted TRO into over a month- long effective injunction, simply by refusing to move apace, even though they brought this action (purportedly) as an emergency matter.

Acting appropriately, but resolutely to re-affirm the clear federal plenary power over immigration discretionary removal decisions, so long as the underlying process remains lawful — the Biden Administration just made clear that it will not tolerate such lawless foolishness, from the Texas GOP agents — not while at least some of these deportation decisions will almost certainly amount to a death sentence, for the refugee or asylum seeker, in question (if returned to country of origin).

Here’s the latest. I will not quote, but only link the Texas AG’s nonsense. To be clear the US Attorney General’s office offers a cogent look at the ACTUALLY applicable law, for Judge Tipton:

…Speedy resolution of a motion for preliminary injunction is especially urgent now that the Court has enjoined the government’s enforcement discretion and done so on a nationwide basis. As the Supreme Court has long recognized, the executive has “discretion to abandon” a removal action and to “decline to execute a final order of deportation,” whether for “humanitarian reasons or simply for its own convenience.” Reno v. Am.-Arab Anti-Discrimination Comm., 525 U.S. 471, 483–84 (1999) (citation omitted). Each day the government is prevented from pursuing its lawful objectives causes severe harm, not only to the government but also to the public. See Nken v. Holder, 556 U.S. 418, 435 (2009) (recognizing in immigration case that interests of government and public “merge”).

As it stands, the Court’s Order significantly burdens the exercise of executive discretion afforded by the Constitution and by Congress. U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 4; id. art. II, § 1, cl. 1; 8 U.S.C. § 1101 et seq.; see Arizona v. United States, 567 U.S. 387, 395–97 (2012). “[A]ny policy toward aliens is vitally and intricately interwoven with contemporaneous policies in regard to the conduct of foreign relations [and] the war power.” Harisiades v. Shaughnessy, 342 U.S. 580, 588–89 (1952). “Because decisions in these matters may implicate ‘relations with foreign powers,’ or involve ‘classifications defined in the light of changing political and economic circumstances,’ such judgments ‘are frequently of a character more appropriate to either the Legislature or the Executive.’” Trump v. Hawaii, 138 S. Ct. 2392, 2418–19 (2018) (quoting Mathews v. Diaz, 426 U.S. 67, 81 (1976)). The United States is confronting significant operational challenges at the southwest border and, moreover, “the most serious global public health crisis in a century.” Pekoske Mem. at 1, ECF 2-2. This global public health crisis affects nearly every aspect of government operations, including immigration enforcement operations….

DHS has determined that an operational pause on certain removals is necessary to allow it to determine how best to address this and other issues inherent to an agency with limited resources; the Court’s Order interferes with the exercise of those important sovereign powers. The United States accordingly has a substantial interest in quickly obtaining resolution — including on appeal if necessary — of Texas’s claim for preliminary relief. Defendants therefore respectfully request that the Court either rule on Texas’s motion for a preliminary injunction on or before February 9, 2021, or expressly convert its January 26, 2021 Order to a preliminary injunction by that date.

Defendants defer to the Court as to the time it needs to resolve the motion in that timeframe, but propose the following briefing schedule, with corresponding word limits given the complexities of the issues involved:

January 29, 2021 – Texas’s Motion at 10,000 words

February 3, 2021 – Defendants’ Opposition at 10,000 words

February 5, 2021 – Texas’s Reply at 5,000 words

February 8, 2021 – Motion Hearing….

Texas previously represented to the Court that it was prepared to file its motion for a preliminary injunction on or before January 29, 2021. See Jan. 22, 2021 Hr’g Tr. at 73:2–73:9. The only thing that has changed since that representation is that Texas has obtained, temporarily, the relief it seeks. Adhering to the deadline Texas initially proposed, or offering only a brief adjustment that still allows a decision by February 9, will give the parties sufficient time to brief the issues — which they have already briefed once — and the Court sufficient time to resolve them before expiration of the Order. . . .

Now the ball is in Tipton’s hands. With whom will he stand? He won’t easily just see it get kicked up to the Fifth Circuit now, and out of his hands. Bet he didn’t foresee this — meeting a more well-versed US Attorney, in his courtroom, than he is. And so — it will be hard for him to get around what the Biden Administration has laid down here, unless he’s inclined to violate his oath.

Speaking of which, this crook of an Attorney General in Texas needs to be. . . disbarred for prior, but ongoing investigations of political corruption — some of them even averred by direct reports inside his own office, lawyers themselves. What a… tool.

But I am grinning, just the same — sweeping away the cobwebs, of inhumanity and corruption is so… refreshing. Yes.

नमस्ते

And… It Is Literally As Though A Four Year Long, Night-Sweats Filled Nightmare… Is Finally Ending.

This is why I knocked on hundreds and hundreds of doors, for him. This is why I registered new voters, traveling state to state in the Midwest, to be sure that Wisconsin and Michigan went blue, this time. This is what a more just and compassionate America will look like, day by day.

He is, already — in eight days, doing more on health care, than Baby T’s non plan, did in four long years. Here is the beginning, of the re-awakening, via the Wa Po‘s reporting:

…President Biden plans to sign an executive order Thursday to reopen the Affordable Care Act’s federal insurance marketplaces for three months to give Americans who need coverage during the coronavirus pandemic an extended chance to buy health plans.

A Biden White House official said Thursday morning that consumers will be allowed to sign up from Feb. 15 to May 15 through HealthCare.gov, the online federal insurance exchange for people who cannot get affordable health benefits through a job.

The actions represent the first steps the new administration is taking to fulfill a major part of the president’s campaign agenda to make health insurance and health care more accessible and affordable — goals that have taken on more urgency as 25 million have been infected with the coronavirus….

Yes, we are grinning ear to ear — thinking back to helping form the first version — in late 2005, mid 2006, and late 2007, at meetings of concerned doctors’ associations, each in Philadelphia. It is a very… gratifying morning, here.

नमस्ते

Michigan “Wolverine” Militia — Would Be Kidnappers — That Hinderaker Defended… Are Headed To Prison.

It’s a busy day (with a new Homeland Security far-right domestic terror alert!) on the domestic terrorist/far right fronts… Hinderaker has been an apologist for this group — and occasionally for members who are identified with the Proud Boys — like Roger Stone.

Today, one of the Michigan nut cases is flipping on his bros — they’ll all do decades in Michigan prisons now, Condor predicts:

“…Ty Garbin, 25, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the kidnapping conspiracy, marking the first conviction in the bizarre case that made national headlines in October. Fourteen men were accused of plotting to kidnap Whitmer and discussing plans to attack the state Capitol building and a police facility, and possibly take out Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, too. Prosecutors allege the group, which included several militia group members, were frustrated over strict COVID-19 lockdown orders in Democrat-run states….

During a Wednesday hearing, U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker stressed to Garbin that, as part of the agreement, he may be “called to the courtroom and obligated to tell the truth… even if it ends up hurting people you know. Do you think you could do that?”

“I could, your honor,” Garbin replied….

The 25-year-old has also agreed to take a polygraph test and testify against his co-conspirators. Garbin is among six men—along with Adam Fox, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, Brandon Caserta, and Barry Croft—federally charged in October with conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

Eight others linked to the Wolverine Watchmen militia group have been charged with terrorism offenses for allegedly taking part in planning the Capitol attack and attempting to “…instigate a Civil War….”

Only the best people, John. Only the best.

BTW, didja’ see that the current leader of the Proud Boys was (/is?)… yep, a federal/FBI snitch, going back to 2012?

He snitched back then to avoid longer prison sentences in a pharmaceutical fraud he was running, for among other things, fraudulently relabeling stolen diabetes test kits, for resale.

Charming.

So he ratted out some other federal pharma-crooks; great stuff.

Just the very best people. Yep.

Biden Admin. Seeks “100 Days” To Assess Whether Prior Conduct Was “Lawful”: No Government Should Be Prevented From Doing That.

Yesterday’s hasty opinion written by a young, inexperienced (and misguided) federal USDC Judge Tipton in Texas is pock-marked with egregious legal errors. Tellingly, key portions of his illogical reasoning “leaps of faith” offer no explanation, whatsoever — for ignoring clearly controlling prior US Supreme Court precedents. Let us accept that at the outset. [It is only the Biden 100 day “pause” provision however, that he purports to stop, by a TRO… which makes his argument all the more… befuddling, as to its illogic.] So, on any of at least ten grounds (including lack of standing), it is summarily reversible.

But I want to highlight the “likelihood of success” TRO requirement, here — or more precisely, the glaring lack of it. That is a pre-condition for the granting of any TRO, in any court — state or federal. It is absent here — and he knows it, so he simply states an opposite conclusion, without support or further analysis of existing law. Tipton writes:

…[the] language of § 1231(a)(1)(A) is not neutered by the federal government’s broad discretion in operating “the removal system” as a general matter, see, e.g. Arizona v. United States, 567 U.S. 387, 396–97, 132 S.Ct. 2492, 2499, 183 L.Ed.2d 351 (2012), the existence of statutes and caselaw outlining procedure in the event that practical circumstances prevent removal within 90 days, see, e.g. 8 U.S.C. § 1231(a)(1)(C); Zadvydas v. Davis, 533 U.S. 678, 701, 121 S.Ct. 2491, 2505, 150 L.Ed.2d 653 (2001), or regulations providing aliens an avenue to request a stay of deportation or removal, 8 C.F.R. § 241.6….

So, he cites — but doesn’t distinguish — a controlling Supreme Court case that came to the opposite conclusion he offers. And then he says (without any support) that the state of Texas is likely to succeed on its claim that it may insist that the federal government not review prior, likely unlawful decisions to deport — because the word “shall” appears in a statute. He admits that the Biden Administration has broad discretion here — to review the lawfulness of prior administration interpretations (ones, by the way, Baby-T lost on, in about 33 of 35 prior federal cases).

Of course, in addition, Texas has no standing, here — and Cuccinelli could never have had authority — to offer Texas a “veto”, without considering California’s right to a similar veto, or for that matter, Louisiana’s or Alabama’s or Mississippi’s or Florida’s. But the most galling part of his decision is his pointing to cases at the Supremes that cut against him, and not even attempting to explain why this case. . . is “different.” [It is as though he’s laid out the road-map, effectively already asking for the Fifth Circuit to reverse him, perhaps so that he can say to his Texas GOP sponsors… “well, I tried to do what y’all wanted — but the upper courts… thwarted our good efforts.”]

In sum, Texas not only cannot and did not offer ANY showing of any likelihood of success, in the face of controlling Supreme Court precedent against exactly this argument — the young jurist just lept off a cliff, in saying that Texas could interpret one word, in about 1,400 pages of a statute, to neuter (his word, used in error) the requirement that all removal orders be “lawful and regular.” If the last four years’ experience in the courts has taught us anything, it is that the prior occupant of 1600 Penn. ran the opposite of lawful and regular immigration procedures. Our treaties and laws require that we review these final orders, for in many cases, they amount to death sentences (in the asylees’ home countries) — if executed hastily.

Yet Judge Tipton sees a need to rush them through — ignoring clearly settled Supreme Court law. Why might that be?

Why — indeed?

नमस्ते