One of New Jersey’s largest pharmaceutical companies got a glimpse today of what life might be like if Bob Hugin enters the race for U.S. Senate.
A group of progressive activists stood outside Celgene’s corporate headquarters in Summit this morning, holding signs criticizing Hugin and Celgene. This is expected to be a regular occurrence at Celgene and other New Jersey-based pharmaceutical companies by a group of protesters anxious to link Hugin to President Trump and criticize the sometimes-unpopular drug industry.
One protester called attention to Celgene’s recent settlement of a lawsuit alleging that they made billions by fraudulently marketing a cancer drug without FDA approval. The company where Hugin serves as executive chairman reportedly settled that suit last summer for $280 million.
Protesting became a regular event last year when Trump would spend time at his Somerset County golf course. It seems like the group – which relishes standing outside holding signs for hours at a time – have found a new home at pharma corporate campuses, at least for now.
The 63-year-old Hugin, a close ally of former Gov. Chris Christie and a Trump fundaiser, is mulling a challenge to Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Menendez. The Department of Justice announced last Friday that they would re-try Menendez on corruption charges. Menendez’s 2017 trial ended in a hung jury after eleven of thirteen jurors refused to convict him.