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| Trump pick for drug czar Tom Marino pulls out after report on opioid bill role | Trump pick for drug czar Tom Marino pulls out after report on opioid bill role |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Tom Marino, the Pennsylvania congressman who Donald Trump nominated to be his “drug czar”, has withdrawn from consideration, the president said on Tuesday. | Tom Marino, the Pennsylvania congressman who Donald Trump nominated to be his “drug czar”, has withdrawn from consideration, the president said on Tuesday. |
| “Rep Tom Marino has informed me that he is withdrawing his name from consideration as drug czar,” the president tweeted. “Tom is a fine man and a great congressman!” | “Rep Tom Marino has informed me that he is withdrawing his name from consideration as drug czar,” the president tweeted. “Tom is a fine man and a great congressman!” |
| Marino is a four-term representative who in February 2016 became the fifth member of Congress to endorse Trump’s campaign for the White House. From 2002 to 2007 he was US attorney for the middle district of Pennsylvania, under George W Bush. | Marino is a four-term representative who in February 2016 became the fifth member of Congress to endorse Trump’s campaign for the White House. From 2002 to 2007 he was US attorney for the middle district of Pennsylvania, under George W Bush. |
| A spokesperson for the Marino could not immediately respond to a request for comment. | A spokesperson for the Marino could not immediately respond to a request for comment. |
| Marino was nominated to lead the National Office of Drug Control Policy, a key role in efforts to tackle the epidemic in opioid addiction and abuse that Trump on Monday called a “massive problem”, saying that he would make a major announcement on the subject next week. | Marino was nominated to lead the National Office of Drug Control Policy, a key role in efforts to tackle the epidemic in opioid addiction and abuse that Trump on Monday called a “massive problem”, saying that he would make a major announcement on the subject next week. |
| On Sunday, Marino was the subject of a joint report by the Washington Post and 60 Minutes about his role as the sponsor of a bill that critics say undermined federal enforcement efforts against the opioid epidemic. | On Sunday, Marino was the subject of a joint report by the Washington Post and 60 Minutes about his role as the sponsor of a bill that critics say undermined federal enforcement efforts against the opioid epidemic. |
| The bill made it far more difficult for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to crack down on drug companies that made suspicious shipments of opioids. | The bill made it far more difficult for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to crack down on drug companies that made suspicious shipments of opioids. |
| In an interview with Fox News Radio on Tuesday, Trump said Marino, “a supporter of mine from Pennsylvania, great state, I won Pennsylvania”, had told him: “Look, if there’s even a perception that he has a conflict of interest with insurance companies, essentially – but if there’s even a perception that he has a conflict of interest, he doesn’t want anything to do with it.” | In an interview with Fox News Radio on Tuesday, Trump said Marino, “a supporter of mine from Pennsylvania, great state, I won Pennsylvania”, had told him: “Look, if there’s even a perception that he has a conflict of interest with insurance companies, essentially – but if there’s even a perception that he has a conflict of interest, he doesn’t want anything to do with it.” |
| The report by the Post and 60 Minutes did not mention insurance companies. | The report by the Post and 60 Minutes did not mention insurance companies. |
| Trump added: “So whether we have insurance companies or drug companies – and there was a couple of articles having to do with him and drug companies. And I will tell you, he felt compelled – he feels very strong about the opioid problem and the drug problem, which is a worldwide problem. It’s a problem that we have. | Trump added: “So whether we have insurance companies or drug companies – and there was a couple of articles having to do with him and drug companies. And I will tell you, he felt compelled – he feels very strong about the opioid problem and the drug problem, which is a worldwide problem. It’s a problem that we have. |
| “And Tom Marino said, ‘Look, I’ll take a pass. I have no choice. I really will take a pass, I want to do it.’ | “And Tom Marino said, ‘Look, I’ll take a pass. I have no choice. I really will take a pass, I want to do it.’ |
| “And he was very gracious, I have to say that. He didn’t want to have – he didn’t want to have even the perception of a conflict of interest with drug companies or, frankly, insurance companies.” | |
| At his Rose Garden press conference with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell on Monday, Trump called Marino “a good guy” but said: “We’re going to look into the report. We’re going to take it very seriously.” | At his Rose Garden press conference with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell on Monday, Trump called Marino “a good guy” but said: “We’re going to look into the report. We’re going to take it very seriously.” |
| The president then said he planned to speak to Marino and “if I think it’s 1% negative to doing what we want to do, I will make a change.” | The president then said he planned to speak to Marino and “if I think it’s 1% negative to doing what we want to do, I will make a change.” |
| Among Democrats, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a conservative representing a state ravaged by opioid addiction, called on Trump to withdraw Marino’s nomination. | Among Democrats, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a conservative representing a state ravaged by opioid addiction, called on Trump to withdraw Marino’s nomination. |
| In a letter to the president, Manchin said the opioid crisis was “the biggest public health crisis since HIV/Aids”. The leader of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, he wrote, should “protect our people, not the pharmaceutical industry”. | In a letter to the president, Manchin said the opioid crisis was “the biggest public health crisis since HIV/Aids”. The leader of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, he wrote, should “protect our people, not the pharmaceutical industry”. |
| “Congressman Marino no longer has my trust or that of the public that he will aggressively pursue the fight against opioid abuse,” Manchin wrote. | “Congressman Marino no longer has my trust or that of the public that he will aggressively pursue the fight against opioid abuse,” Manchin wrote. |
| Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday confirming Marino would be like “putting the wolf in charge of the henhouse”. On Tuesday morning, the New York Democrat welcomed Marino’s decision to withdraw. | Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday confirming Marino would be like “putting the wolf in charge of the henhouse”. On Tuesday morning, the New York Democrat welcomed Marino’s decision to withdraw. |
| “[Representative] Marino’s decision to withdraw from consideration as drug czar is the right decision,” Schumer said, “though the fact that he was nominated in the first place is further evidence that when it comes to the opioid crisis, the Trump administration talks the talk but refuses to walk the walk. | “[Representative] Marino’s decision to withdraw from consideration as drug czar is the right decision,” Schumer said, “though the fact that he was nominated in the first place is further evidence that when it comes to the opioid crisis, the Trump administration talks the talk but refuses to walk the walk. |
| “The opioid crisis demands that the next drug czar is solely focused on getting communities across the country the help they desperately need. I hope the Trump administration nominates someone that fits the bill.” | “The opioid crisis demands that the next drug czar is solely focused on getting communities across the country the help they desperately need. I hope the Trump administration nominates someone that fits the bill.” |