Drugmakers seek sanctions against Gov.-elect DeWine

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Several drug manufacturers targeted in lawsuits over the nation’s opioid epidemic have asked a federal judge in Cleveland to sanction Ohio’s attorney general and governor-elect and two other lawyers for statements they made in recent television interviews.

Cleveland.com reported the motion filed Friday says statements by Republican Attorney General and Gov.-elect Mike DeWine and the others on an episode of CBS’ “60 Minutes” were calculated to taint potential jury pools.

DeWine and the other two attorneys were part of a Dec. 16 segment on litigation over the role of pharmaceutical companies in the deadly opioid epidemic. Among topics explored by correspondent Bill Whitaker were potential damages and a data set collected by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Attorney general’s spokesman Dan Tierney said in email that DeWine declined to comment.