Mail Tribune Addresses Greg Walden's Drug Money

The Mail Tribune faced up to their responsibility--and opportunity.

On Sunday the newspaper addressed an issue in their "Since You Asked" column--does Greg Walden take contributions from manufacturers and marketers of opioids? 

To their credit, the Tribune gave the accurate answer. Yes he does.

$800,000 from Drug Companies

The simple fact is that Greg Walden is a fundraising dynamo, gathering up money from the industries his House committee oversees. Is that OK?  Are we comfortable with that? 

I had written a blog post last week, answering a question posed to me: does Walden get contributions from the opioid drug industry. Click: June 18 post. It was widely read and then circulated on social media. I examined the official contribution reports for Walden's fundraising from the drug industry. I compared the list of contributors with the list of companies that are being sued by states and cities for abusive practices regarding the opioid crisis.  

The Mail Tribune used the same methodology I used, and reported the same result I found: Walden is the number one recipient of money from the drug industry, and this includes the opioid companies identified as defendants in those lawsuits.

Good.

Here's the link:  http://mailtribune.com/news/since-you-asked/walden-has-multiple-pharmaceutical-contributors

The Tribune could easily have continued to stay silent on this. A local newspaper is both a potential civic asset--and a business.

  

Many newspapers have a self image of public service and journalistic integrity. They may want to consider themselves a trustworthy truth-teller, willing to face up to reporting on troubling issues. Walden is popular locally, so it took courage for the Tribune to have spoken up. Many readers might be happier had the Tribune averted its eyes.

Image from my post on the issue of opioids

The issue has been around for years, but it got stirred up again because two weeks ago Greg Walden ran a half page color ad in the Tribune trumpeting his getting an "award" as a health care champion. The "award" was given by drug companies who lobby for keeping drug prices high for American taxpayers and consumers. That fact was not evident from the ad. I gave the ad the close look it needed. Click: June 11 post  

Talk of contributions from the drug industry raises important questions about our Congressman, and apparently "Ann" of Jacksonville asked the Tribune. Does Walden get money from the opioid industry? That leads to the bigger question, what with Walden getting all that money, just whose interests does he now serve?

Greg Walden's contributions create an awkward dilemma for a newspaper, so I commend the Tribune for stepping up to its obligation and opportunity as a public trust. Some newspapers might take the easy route, by treating his contributions as a sign of power and campaign success: look at how much money our very own congressman raises. That kind of coverage imbeds an editorial judgement, that the contributions are benign, that more is better, and that Walden gets $800,000 in contributions from the drug industry because he is a really good legislator, not because he is really cozy with that industry. 

Or just stay silent and let sleeping dogs lie.

Walden ad in the Mail Tribune

Sunday the Mail Tribune stepped up.

It is easy and painless for a citizen blogger to investigate this issue, but the Tribune has something to lose by exposing the uncomfortable truth, that Greg Walden takes boatloads of money from the industries his Committee has responsibility for overseeing, including money from the opioid industry.

On Sunday the Tribune began giving voters the information they need to decide whether Greg Walden is OK, or whether there is something ugly about the fact he is chest deep in the swamp.