Nicole Lurie: Obama’s First Ebola Czar Was Embroiled in a Massive Scandal in 2011 and Still Holds Her Job
by Guest Post • October 19, 2014
The Sentinel covered the following story in 2011 but it didn’t appear to spur much interest despite some complaints from Republicans.
As long as we keep ignoring this blatant corruption, the longer it will go on.
by Doug Ross, Director Blue
In November 2011, David Willman of The Los Angeles Times described another instance of the rampant abuse of the taxpayer endemic to the Obama administration, this time in the Department of Health and Human Services. Obama’s first “Ebola Czar” — Dr. Nicole Lurie — is said to have directed nearly half a billion dollars to a huge Obama donor for a vaccination no one wanted.
Perhaps some of the geniuses in the GOP can dredge up this article when they’re accused — falsely — of slashing someone’s budget. First off, no one’s budget’s been slashed. Second, MRC has documented the copious, criminal waste of money by the National Institute of Health and the Center for Disease Control.
But back to the original Ebola Czar, Dr. Lurie. Let Willman tell the tale:
Cost, need questioned in $433-million smallpox drug deal
A company controlled by a longtime political donor gets a no-bid contract to supply an experimental remedy for a threat that may not exist.
November 13, 2011 By David Willman, Los Angeles Times:
Reporting from Washington — Over the last year, the Obama administration has aggressively pushed a $433-million plan to buy an experimental smallpox drug, despite uncertainty over whether it is needed or will work.
Senior officials have taken unusual steps to secure the contract for New York-based Siga Technologies Inc., whose controlling shareholder is billionaire Ronald O. Perelman, one of the world’s richest men and a longtime Democratic Party donor…
Costs “well above what” specialists said was reasonable
When Siga complained that contracting specialists at the Department of Health and Human Services were resisting the company’s financial demands, senior officials replaced the government’s lead negotiator for the deal, interviews and documents show.
When Siga was in danger of losing its grip on the contract a year ago, the officials blocked other firms from competing.
Editor’s note: It was not only a waste of time and a waste of money, but the profit margins for Perelman’s company were “outrageous” according to an internal memo from a medical officer at HHS.
Lurie then lied about the illicit contractual deal. There was more skullduggery, some involving SEIU.
Read more here »
http://www.independentsentinel.com/nicole-lurie-obamas-first-ebola-czar-was-embroiled-in-a-massive-scandal-in-2011-and-still-holds-her-job/
