Tauzinz;POS Republican going to be a lobbyist at $2m/year for big pharma after he pushed to make non-negotiable drug prices for a 38% profit increase at taxpayer expense?
(NOTE TO RIGHT-WING WHACKOS: Kerry haircut-$150, Clinton-$300.
Shrubbery - 25% increase in Clinton's budget. )
"Texas lawmaker Joe Barton threw his hat into the ring Wednesday to replace Rep. Billy Tauzin as chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, and House leaders said a decision would be made soon.
Tauzin, from Louisiana, announced his departure as committee chairman Tuesday, blaming recent health scares from a bleeding ulcer. His decision is effective Feb. 16.
Barton, a ten-term Republican congressman who chairs the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee, said he had Tauzin's backing for the chairmanship and already had held a "positive" meeting with House Speaker Dennis Hastert and House Republican Leader Tom DeLay about the job.
"I am now actively seeking to be his (Tauzin's) successor to the chairmanship, and am flattered to have his endorsement," Barton said in a statement.
"His (Tauzin's) successor will have his work cut out for him attempting to fill his alligator boots," Barton said of his Cajun-country colleague.
Tauzin, a 12-term congressman, recently has been pursued for a top job at the pharmaceutical industry's lobbying organization, while rejecting an offer to head the Motion Picture Association of America.
Common Cause, a government watchdog group, said this week that Tauzin should not be running a committee that worked on Medicare and other medical legislation while negotiating a job with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.,,," |
