DOJ’s Purdue Settlement a Trump Election Stunt — And a Failure for Victims

by Vinay Krishnan, CPD Action’s Opioid Network

When the Trump administration entered office, the overdose epidemic — not COVID — was the greatest public health threat America faced. Trump promised solutions. He promised action. And yesterday he claimed victory, as Purdue Pharma pleaded guilty to three federal charges and will pay over $8 billion in its settlement.

But this is not a victory. It is a political stunt engineered to make this President look good less than two weeks before an election, all while letting the Sacklers off the hook for the harm they have caused.

And that harm, let’s remember, is significant. The Sacklers’ systematic lies on the harmfulness of OxyContin have contributed to over 450,000 deaths from opioids in the last 20 years. In rushing to a settlement, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has allowed the family to pay their way out of liability at far too low a cost. As the NY Times explains, “it is unlikely the company will end up paying anything close to the $8 billion negotiated in the settlement deal. That is because it is in bankruptcy court and the federal government will have to take its place in a long line of creditors. Typically, creditors end up collecting pennies on the dollar.” Furthermore, the Sacklers themselves will pay just $225 million in civil penalties. Because the government is now in direct competition with other claimants, the more money it receives, the less that will be available for individual victims and families.

Early Wednesday, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey responded to the news by saying, “DOJ failed. Justice in this case requires exposing the truth and holding the perpetrators accountable, not rushing a settlement to beat an election. I am not done with Purdue and the Sacklers, and I will never sell out the families who have been calling for justice for so long.”

This administration will kill you with the stroke of a pen and then go on television and say “God Bless America.”

CPD Action has been working with its affiliates — VOCAL, Maryland Communities United, SPACES in Action, MHAction, Hoosier Action, Rights and Democracy — and other allies to pursue that justice for years, notably collaborating with Nan Goldin’s Sackler P.A.I.N. group to organize a series of beautiful actions condemning the Sackler family. This work pressured museums around the world to cut ties with the Sacklers and helped shape popular understanding of their crimes.

Commenting on Wednesday’s settlement, Nan said, “This news is nothing to celebrate. The DOJ settlement with the Sacklers and Purdue is not a win — it’s a spin . . . this proves that there are two justice systems in America — one for billionaires and one for the rest of us. The Sacklers’ walking away from Purdue is a retirement, not a punishment.”

The overdose crisis has only worsened during COVID, as people are using drugs alone in isolation and are afraid to go to a hospital or call the police when in crisis. If Trump wanted to act, if he truly cared about saving lives, he could have instructed the Senate to pursue meaningful legislation to curb overdose. Amidst COVID, Senators Smith and Murkowski introduced the Emergency Support for Substance Use Disorders Act, which would invest $50 million in harm reduction and substance use treatment. Senator Baldwin promoted a $58 million appropriations investment. Republicans have not seriously pursued either option.

Then there’s the CARE Act, created by Senator Warren and the late Rep. Cummings, which would invest $100 billion to end this epidemic over the next ten years and would empower those directly impacted to decide where the money goes. Again and again, Republicans have said the bill is too expensive, even though it would save money while saving lives. The truth is this: this administration does not care about people who use drugs.

Throughout his four long years in office, Trump has consistently shown that he views illness and addiction to be weaknesses. He seeks to strip away healthcare, to criminalize his way out of public health problems, and then to claim victory afterwards. This administration will kill you with the stroke of a pen and then go on television and say “God Bless America.”

They’re doing it again now, as people are actively voting across the country. We need new leadership in Washington. A new President, a new Congress, and a new DOJ that will continue to pursue the Sacklers until they are held accountable for the families and communities they have irreparably harmed.

Make sure you vote in this election. Work to make sure every vote is counted in your state. Then let’s organize together to pursue true justice for the people and communities who need it most.

To join Get Out the Vote Efforts, sign up at organizevotewin.org/volunteer.

CPDA’s Opioid Network is a national group of harm reduction workers and activists working to end the overdose crisis through public health interventions. To join us, reach out to Vinay Krishnan at [email protected].