Senate Cloakroom Cabal Read Online Free PDF

distractions.”
    Crawford nodded. “I’ve always been in favor of too much testing over not enough.”
    Kelly stood. “Good. Glad you see it that way.”
    Crawford and Pembroke rose.
    â€œWho is it you want me to talk with?” Crawford asked.
    â€œDalton,” Kelly replied. “Thanks, Gavin.” He extended his hand and gave a nod to Pembroke. “Thanks to both of you.” He turned away and caught the eye of another senator.
    Crawford looked at Pembroke. “I’m . . . eh . . . does Tom think I have an in with Roanne?”
    â€œNo. Actually, he sees it the other way. She looks to you as an ally. You know, she seems to have rubbed some folks the wrong way.”
    â€œI wasn’t aware of that. She’s new, but I thought she had lots of friends.”
    â€œMostly H.T.’s friends, who accommodate her.”
    â€œOh,” was all Crawford decided to say. He didn’t particularly agree with Pembroke’s assessment, but it wasn’t worth challenging. “So . . . eh . . . what exactly is her position?”
    â€œShe’s not following the party line. It’s very straightforward. FDA says there are serious side effects. After those major recalls awhile back, Tom doesn’t want a distraction caused by an unproven drug. We have too much going with the pharmas already.”
    This seemed out-of-step with the way Tom operated, Crawford thought. For some reason, he didn’t want the whip handling it. He felt uncomfortable about this . . . it put him in a bit of a bind. He liked Dalton, but he also liked the progress he had been making in the caucus. Maybe this was a leadership test. Free discussion had never been a problem amongst the colleagues. However, Kelly wanted unanimity and had chosen him to get it.
    Pembroke interrupted his thoughts. “There’s stuff whipping around in Appropriations and in Finance, aside from all the issues with Medicare and the cost of prescription drugs.”
    â€œYeah, it’s piling up. Okay. Has anyone lobbied Roanne about this, prior to me?”
    â€œWe don’t know what ties she has, or H.T. had, with the pharmaceutical company applying for approval, if any.”
    Another non-answer. “What’s the name of this drug and the company?”
    â€œIt’s called Tutoxtamen and the pharma is Rogers, up in New Jersey.”

7
    T he large hotel ballroom was set up auditorium-style, with a raised dais at one end, on which sat a podium and four straight-back chairs.
    A banner behind the dais announced: Rogers Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s Annual Stockholders Meeting.
    Harley S. Rogers, eighty-three-year-old founder, chairman, and CEO of Rogers Pharmaceuticals, Inc., was ramrod in stature and leadership with a strong timbre to his voice. He normally stayed behind the scenes, leaving his son Sherman, president and COO of Rogers, to be the public face. Harley was absorbed with the product side.
    And today the product was his miracle drug, Tutoxtamen. That damned FDA fabricated findings saying there were side effects , Harley rued, standing in the wings waiting to go on. All the test results had been astoundingly positive. Expectations verged on the stupendous. Stockholders, the public, and the media were ecstatic.
    The FDA had leaked there were side-effect problems, and his company’s stock had fallen precipitously, over forty percent and now teetering— dipping and rising on every whisper of news. Harley estimated he’d lost fifty percent of his net worth.
    A scientist first, Harley Rogers had always hoped he’d discover a miracle drug that would rid the world of one of its horrible diseases. He had that now in Tutoxtamen.
    Nevertheless, it seemed as though the pharmas had convinced the FDA there was a problem. That was why he was coming forward today. The old soldier needed to take the stage and tell everyone his drug worked. He’d illustrate his remarks with hundreds of