Founder of the Daily Poster David Sirota said that the Sackler family is using bankruptcy laws to protect OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma, reflecting larger issues of class in the U.S.
During an appearance on Hill.TV’s “Rising” Sirota, a former senior advisor to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) 2020 campaign, noted that the issue at hand is whether Congress should allow bankruptcy judges to extend protection from prosecution to individuals and parties who are not declaring bankruptcy.
“It’s extending blanket legal immunity to the entire Sackler corporate empire and their affiliate people and vendors in exchange for this settlement even though those people and those vendors, themselves, are not actually declaring bankruptcy,” he said.
This week, Richard Sackler, former board chair and president of OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma, denied that he, his family members or the company had any responsibility for the opioid crisis, which has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans over the past two decades.
Sirota noted that the situation reflects a broader issue in the country.
“They [Sacklers] are essentially, if not getting off scot-free, they’re getting off with effectively a slap on the wrist allowing them to keep billions of dollars if this settlement happens,” he said.
“I think it’s part of a larger story in America where the wealthy and the powerful do terrible things and have a justice system which is design effectively to protect them in a way…that system does not protect regular people.
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