Subject: Re: F.D.A. Nominee Califf’s Ties to Drug Makers Worry Some - The New York Times
From: "Ann O'Leary" <[email-masked]>
To: Jennifer Palmieri <[email-masked]>
Cc: John Podesta <[email-masked]>, Joel Benenson <[email-masked]>, Mandy Grunwald <[email-masked]>, Brian Fallon <[email-masked]>, Robby Mook <[email-masked]>, Jake Sullivan <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 2015 11:43:07 -0700

Califf does have real ties industry, but there is no smoking gun. I think
it might be worth doing some more digging if we were going to do this and
make a very compelling case. But I agree with Podesta we would need more
time to set up and we'd really anger WH. I also checked into the person who
came after Kessler. It was Jean Hanney and she was his deputy and a
physician. No ties to industry prior to her appointment, but went on board
if a Pharma company after she left.

Ann O’Leary
Sent from my iPhone
(510) 717-5518 (cell)

On Sep 26, 2015, at 11:30 AM, Jennifer Palmieri <
[email-masked]> wrote:

It also will not break through as big news on MTP.

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 26, 2015, at 2:27 PM, John Podesta <[email-masked]> wrote:

I think we will pay a huge price with the WH on this one. Worries me.
On Sep 26, 2015 1:13 PM, "Ann O'Leary" <[email-masked]> wrote:

> +Podesta
> Califf the Obama nominee does have real ties to the drug industry - Chris
> Jennings is calling a few people for me to learn more so we don't tip our
> hand directly. We are clean on Clinton Admin FDA Commissioner - it was
> David Kessler, an academic who had run a teaching hospital - and best known
> for taking on big tobacco.  We could certainly signal that we want someone
> willing to stand up to Pharma (in the same way Kessler stood up to Tobacco).
>
> BUT - I want to do a little more digging and due diligence before we hit
> this guy.  Having been through a nomination fight with my husband (in which
> he lost), this is personal and messy and horrible on the person nominated
> and their families - so I don't take attacking this guy lightly.
>
> Do you want to do it on Meet the Press?
>
> Also, as long as I have all of your attention - on Cadillac Tax - the
> general consensus is that we should frame our position as Cadillac Tax
> should be repealed but that we should tax people who make more than $250K
> b/c they don't need to have tax-payer funded subsidies.  I have not nailed
> this down with HRC.  Should I try to do that today if we are going to
> announce this on Meet the Press?
>
> On Sat, Sep 26, 2015 at 10:00 AM, Jake Sullivan <
> [email-masked]> wrote:
>
>> Better go look at WJC administration FDA nominees.
>>
>> On Sat, Sep 26, 2015 at 12:59 PM, Jake Sullivan <
>> [email-masked]> wrote:
>>
>>> This is ultimately a political call, not a policy call.  I don't really
>>> like the idea of bashing this White House's nominees, knowing their vetting
>>> process and standards.
>>>
>>> But if you guys want to do it, I cannot identify a policy reason not to
>>> -- you all know the facts.
>>>
>>> Ann, any other intel?
>>>
>>> On Sat, Sep 26, 2015 at 12:53 PM, Brian Fallon <
>>> [email-masked]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Any update on this? As we consider fights that fit into the larger
>>>> themes we are trying to promote, this seems like a good fight to have.
>>>> Plus, the VP would be in a box of having to support this nominee.
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Sep 22, 2015 at 12:06 AM, Ann O'Leary <
>>>> [email-masked]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Interesting.  I'll do some asking around to see what folks in the
>>>>> public health world think.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, Sep 21, 2015 at 8:25 PM, Mandy Grunwald <[email-masked]>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I don't know anything about the guy.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If we weren't hitting the Administration with Keystone this week, I
>>>>>> might be tempted, but I think that probably makes it a bad idea.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Lets keep an eye on it and see about those Pharma ties.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> *Mandy Grunwald*
>>>>>> *Grunwald Communications*
>>>>>> *202 973-9400 <202%20973-9400>*
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: Jake Sullivan <[email-masked]>
>>>>>> To: Mandy Grunwald <[email-masked]>
>>>>>> Cc: Ann O'Leary <[email-masked]>; Joel Benenson <
>>>>>> [email-masked]>; bfallon <[email-masked]>; Jennifer
>>>>>> Palmieri <[email-masked]>
>>>>>> Sent: Mon, Sep 21, 2015 11:22 pm
>>>>>> Subject: Re: F.D.A. Nominee Califf’s Ties to Drug Makers Worry Some -
>>>>>> The New York Times
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What do you think?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> > On Sep 21, 2015, at 10:33 PM, Mandy Grunwald
>>>>>> <[email-masked]> wrote:
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > Do we want to weigh in on this?
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/health/fda-nominee-califfs-ties-to-drug-industry-raise-questions.html
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> Mandy Grunwald
>>>>>> > Grunwald Communications
>>>>>> > 202 973-9400
>>>>>> >
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Ann O'Leary
>>>>> Senior Policy Advisor
>>>>> Hillary for America
>>>>> Cell: 510-717-5518
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Ann O'Leary
> Senior Policy Advisor
> Hillary for America
> Cell: 510-717-5518
>