Wagner has taken $236,000 from Big Pharma corporate PACs
American Action Network (AAN), a Republican dark money group with ties to Washington Republican leadership, is running new ads, including a $100,000 TV buy, touting Congresswoman Ann Wagner’s commitment to lowering prescription drug costs. There is only one problem: The ad isn’t true.
Rep. Wagner has taken $236,000 from Big Pharma corporate PACs and voted against the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3), a bill that would significantly lower the costs of prescription drug prices for millions of Missourians and Americans by allowing medicare to negotiate prices for the 250 most expensive drugs on the market. In December 2019, immediately after Wagner’s vote, AAN announced a $4 million ad campaign to boost vulnerable members who protected their interests, including Wagner.
AAN is funded by Big Pharma and is used by Washington party bosses to mislead voters on the records of Washington Republicans, like Congresswoman Wagner. Big Pharma-backed AAN is running ad campaigns in districts where Republicans support H.R. 19, a bill that protects the industry’s ability to price gouge by not including H.R.3’s provision allowing for government negotiation of drug prices. According to AARP, “In 2017, 35% of Missouri Residents stopped taking medication as prescribed due to cost.”
“Big Pharma’s dark money is riding to Congresswoman Wagner’s rescue after she repeatedly put corporate special interests ahead of what’s best for Missouri families struggling to afford prescription drugs,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “This is the kind of pay-to-play Washington corruption that prevents meaningful progress on prescription drug prices because Representatives like Ann Wagner are bought and paid for by Big Pharma.”
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