China Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 How Vivek Ramaswamy helped make Martin Shkreli the ‘pharma bro’ Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican presidential candidate who made a fortune in biotech, once was involved in a significant investment in a biotech company run by disgraced investor Martin Shkreli. Shkreli, the oft-described “pharma bro” who went to prison for four years for committing securities fraud and securities fraud conspiracy after he gained notoriety for dramatically raising the cost of a life-saving antiparasitic drug, said in a YouTube video in mid-April that Ramaswamy was at one point his “biggest investor” and called him “a friend.” “He basically took our business model and supersized it,” he told the “My First Million” podcast in a little-noticed part of the video. “Who influenced who is a matter that is left to history.” Shkreli may have overstated matters. The investment, which was made in Shkreli’s first company, Retrophin, came from a hedge fund firm that Ramaswamy worked for at the time in New York City, not from Ramaswamy himself. Asked for comment, Ramaswamy said that he helped the firm, QVT Financial, “evaluate and invest in hundreds of publicly traded companies.” He noted that Retrophin, which was one of Shkreli’s several companies that worked to find drugs for rare diseases, “was one of them.” “His strategy at a different company (Turing) of hiking drug prices is shockingly similar to what Big Pharma regularly does,” Ramaswamy added. “Big Pharma just dresses it up in the veneer of ‘do-good stakeholder capitalism,’ and that’s why they get away with it. It’s arguably even more corrupt because it’s less transparent. That’s just the hard truth.” QVT did not respond to a request for comment. In his book, “Woke, Inc.,” Ramaswamy wrote that Shkreli was “pathologically incapable of telling the truth.” His involvement in the investment provides insight into the worlds Ramaswamy occupied and the characters he mingled with prior to entering the field of elected politics. The biotech startup space can be cutthroat, and analysts are often forced to make difficult decisions that require balancing social good with the pursuit of profit. Reached by phone, Shkreli demanded money from POLITICO and its parent company Axel Springer to cooperate. “I will tell you everything I know. And in exchange, I suppose your company would do something for me,” he said, later adding “The really juicy stuff I know is something that I could potentially sell to the National Enquirer or to monetize that myself.” When told that POLITICO does not pay for interviews, he said: “I’m just struggling [to understand] what’s in it for me. … I’m gonna need a sweeter deal than that. I have this new software. If you plug that, maybe we got a deal then.” He then offered money to write a positive story about him, saying, “If I bless your Cash App like five bands [$5,000], will you say some nice **** about me?” Click on the link for the full article 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Comrade2000 Posted May 24, 2023 Author Share Posted May 24, 2023 The first gop vote is the Iowa caucus in February. Just how many of the candidates will actually get that far, to when voting starts. If they don't have the money, they won't get far. The first vote is still over 8 months away. Can't see most the current candidates raising much. Haley and Scott are running for VP. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmirOfShmo Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 She's so lame. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooked Crack Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fergasun Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 Trump is scared of DeSantis... hence there are a ton of TrumpBots and social media attacking him continuously. I can understand why DeSantis' rivals are not backing him now as the anti-Trump... political novice, so his flaws could still show. But it still seems foolish or maybe just selfish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Comrade2000 Posted May 24, 2023 Author Share Posted May 24, 2023 37 minutes ago, Fergasun said: Trump is scared of DeSantis... hence there are a ton of TrumpBots and social media attacking him continuously. I can understand why DeSantis' rivals are not backing him now as the anti-Trump... political novice, so his flaws could still show. But it still seems foolish or maybe just selfish. Only way Ron is the nominee is taking maga from Donny. Good luck. Ron’s going to find he isn’t going to appeal everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooked Crack Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 (edited) Did Florida change their law so he doesn't have to resign? https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/2023/05/23/florida-desantis-governor-resign-to-run-president-election-law-sb-7050/70250128007/ nevermind. Edited May 24, 2023 by @DCGoldPants Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simmsy Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 Dude, after seeing that you have no chance and after dragging it out all this time...why announce? You're clearly going to lose in a humiliating fashion, we all know it, even you. Why run at this point? I thought it was just an act to get votes, but DeSantis really is THAT stupid. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 Just now, Simmsy said: Dude, after seeing that you have no chance and after dragging it out all this time...why announce? You're clearly going to lose in a humiliating fashion, we all know it, even you. Why run at this point? I thought it was just an act to get votes, but DeSantis really is THAT stupid. You are speaking about my Governor. Who keeps picking fights with Disney. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooked Crack Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 3 hours ago, 88Comrade2000 said: Only way Ron is the nominee is taking maga from Donny. Good luck. Ron’s going to find he isn’t going to appeal everywhere. Rino Ron isnt taking maga 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooked Crack Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooked Crack Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 LETS GOOOOOO! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simmsy Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 This just in guys! I'm announcing my run for president on my onlyfans! Just pay a small fee to see how much I really love America! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooked Crack Posted May 24, 2023 Share Posted May 24, 2023 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 Twitter didn’t have the bandwidth to handle the announcement. Maybe Ron should have gone with a more capable streaming service from his own state like Disney + 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooked Crack Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadySkinsFan Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 With Gowdy no less! Ha! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsmarydu Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 Gavin Newsom is fabulous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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