McConnell dismissed question about Big Pharma at previous debate, will not join KET debate
LEXINGTON, Ky. – In the debate between retired Marine Lt. Col. Amy McGrath and Sen. Mitch McConnell on Oct. 12, Sen. McConnell chose to stop answering questions about the opioid crisis and how his relationship with Big Pharma empowered them.
Now, he is refusing to participate in the KET Kentucky Tonight Forum for U.S. Senate candidates on Oct. 26. KET extended invitations to the qualifying candidates: McGrath, Sen. McConnell and Libertarian candidate Brad Barron. McGrath and Barron have accepted the invitation.
McConnell’s refusal to debate came right before the Justice Department’s announcement that Purdue Pharma pled guilty to criminal charges for opioid sales and its role in the opioid epidemic. Over the course of his 36 year career in the Senate, McConnell has taken more than $1.1 million from the pharmaceutical industry. This cycle alone he’s taken more money from Big Pharma then any other member of Congress.
McConnell has voted against providing additional aid for mental health and substance use prevention and treatment five times, effectively voting against almost $20 billion in opioid addiction funding.
McGrath said it isn’t surprising he’s avoiding a second debate, given that he knows he will be expected to answer for his role in allowing Big Pharma to flood the commonwealth with pills, exacerbating the opioid crisis that has ravaged Kentucky communities. McConnell also hasn’t agreed to participate in a debate with a woman moderator in 25 years.
“Kentuckians deserve the opportunity to hold their senator accountable for putting the profits of the Big Pharma companies that fund his campaign over the health of his constituents,” McGrath said. “Instead of giving Kentuckians the opportunity to hear from him as one of their candidates for Senate, he will be in Washington that day pushing through a Supreme Court nomination in an attempt to build a Court that will overturn the Affordable Care Act and strip health care from half a million Kentuckians. He is also refusing to pass critical coronavirus relief and refusing to answer to Kentuckians for it. After the last debate, I think he might be scared.”
On Nov. 10, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a lawsuit seeking to overturn the ACA.