it actually wasn’t Trump but it sounded better. Cohen schooled Joe J. As per the documents that someone is sharing on here, I decided to read it. Here is what really happened. EC (Cohen) had an agreement with Novartis (Joe facilitated it) to have an open dialogue as to the intentions of the Administration during the repeal of ACA. Joe went even further to try and provide “key points” on how to assist with the US Drug Pricing Cost Initiative. Basically it was a how can Novartis and some other companies continue to have higher charges for drugs based on Value Based Contracting. Cohen said he was providing that info to the president. Joe also wanted access to key policy makers. Fast forward to nothing really happening except for Cohen trying to sell Novartis and Joe on a company called Yamo Pharmaceuticals. They have a drug in Phase 2 for autism. Novartis and Joe got schooled. Cohen was friends with someone at Yamo, tried to sell this small start up to Novartis, all while filling his pockets from Novartis with promises of access. None of it was true. Vas put an end as soon as he was on board and never wanted to meet or speak with Cohen (as per Cohen’s emails to vas assistant and Novartis shutting him down). Those are the FACTS
This is closer to the truth of what transpired, except for the fact that Joe shared his "key points" on drug pricing more than 3 months after the initial contact with Cohen. The lack of urgency should tell you something, if influencing the Administration via Cohen was the primary goal. I love the nice touch of attaching the Code of Conduct and Anti-Bribery policy documents to the contract. What chutzpah!
And the worst part of it is that "Mr. Clean" Vas Narasimhan lied blatantly to the public when Novartis stated in May that they only had one interaction with Cohen. Here's how the lie unfolded : 1. It was announced in September 2017 that Vas would become CEO in February 2018 2. Between the September announcement and February there was a handover taking place between Joe and Vas. 3. Vas duly took over as CEO on the 1st February 2018 4. From this day on Vas took FULL accountability for Novartis 5. On the 8th of May the Michael Cohen story broke. At that time there was an allegation that Novartis had paid Cohen 400k 6. On the 9th of May Novartis clarified that the payment was actually 1,2 million paid at 100k per month for 12 months. Novartis further stated that the one year agreement for which Essential Consultants was paid $100 000 per month "predated Vas Narasimhan becoming Novartis CEO and he was in no way involved with this agreement" Up to now this all sounds very plausible. 7. Also on the 9th of May a Novartis "insider" made the following statement "At first it all sounded impressive, but toward the end of the meeting, everyone realized this was probably a slippery slope to engage him" the employee continued. "So they decided not to really engage Cohen for any activities after that" Another Novartis carefully leaked statement to the media on the same day : "the drugmaker said that even though it determined after a single meeting that the firm would be unable to provide the services it anticipated and decided not to engage further, it was contractually bound to keep making monthly payments" 8. Vas then writes his now-famous soppy email to staff on the 10th May. 9. Also on the 10th May a Novartis spokesperson again re-iterates that they decided not to engage Cohen again after the first meeting. Please bear in mind that this is now the period that Vas is CEO. He is accountable for Novartis and all its actions. He can see what is in the media. And he can see that the statement that Novartis only engaged Cohen ONCE and after that first engagement decided not to use his services. This is a SERIOUS issue for Novartis. Vas has every resource within Novartis at his disposal. He is a smart guy so he must have ensured that he was fully in the loop on all material aspects of the Cohen issue. 10. Novartis at this stage were still sitting on a somewhat arrogant high-horse in that they were pushing the story that what they did was "not wrong". What Novartis did not anticipate was that on the 11th May a Senate Committee would send a letter of demand to Novartis with a whole range of questions that needed answering. So how can I say Vas lied all along? He allowed the lie that "Novartis only had one engagement with Cohen" to continue. He let people repeat this statement to give it credibility. As one reporter stated "Novartis seem to have a carefully choreographed response to this issue" and it seemed that Novartis was making strategic leaks to the media. So the key message that kept on being repeated was that Novartis only had ONE engagement with Cohen. AND THAT IS WHERE VAS LIED !!! He allowed the lie to continue being perpetrated and thus became a part of the lie and indeed accountable for the lie. So where's the evidence : Novartis had to comply with the Senate Committee's demands for documentation. Bear in mind that this demand came on the 11th May AFTER Vas had allowed the lie about a single interaction with Michael Cohen to be perpetuated. So let's look at the bundle of documents Novartis had to supply the Senate Committee: - Page 159 is a meeting request from Felix Ehrat to Thomas Kendris, Dan Casserlly and Michael Cohen for a meeting on the 1st March 2017 at Novartis Corporate office in New York - Page 160 is an entry in Joe Jimenez's diary for a telephone call between Joe and Michael Cohen for the 4 April 2017. Joe to call Cohen on his cellphone - Page 161 shows details of a TC organized by Joe Jimenez with Michael Cohen for the 7th April 2017 - Page 163 is an email from Joe Jimenez to Michael Cohen on the 5th June 2017 regarding ideas for lowering drug prices - Page 166 is an email from Joe Jimenez to Michael Cohen on the 13th June 2017 thanking Cohen - Page 167 is an email from Michael Cohen to Joe Jimenez - Page 169 is an email from Joe Jimenez to Michael Cohen on the 28th May 2017 in reply to a mail from Cohen - Page 171 is an email from Michael Cohen to Joe Jimenez on the 24th August 2017 - Page 173 is a mail from Michael Cohen to Joe Jimenez dated 24 August 2017 - Page 188 is a mail from Michael Cohen to Joe Jimenez dated 24 August 2017 - Page 190 is an email from Joe Jimenez to Michael Cohen dated 24 August 2017 regarding an Autism drug - Page 191 is an email from Joe Jimenez to Michael Cohen dated 25 August 2017 again referring the Autism drug - Page 192 relates to an entry in Joe Jimenez's diary for a TC with Michael Cohen on the 15 September 2017 - Page 193 is an email from Michael Cohen to Joe Jimenez dated 22 September 2017 So I count FOURTEEN interactions versus the ONE that Novartis under the leadership of Vas Narasimhan insisted had occurred. So effectively Vas is guilty of THIRTEEN counts of lying. http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4598680-Cohen-Novartis-Document-Trove.html
Joe probably realized that this deal was going to unravel and go public and decided to announce his retirement, just out of the blue.
Geez, some people want so badly to smear, they are blind to reality and facts. The entire situation is this: Trump had nothing to do with any of this. Cohen is a sleaze, and used his position as a Trump lawyer to generate business fees, consulting fees etc. for and on his own behalf. Norvartis was stupid enough to signup for it and pay out the nose for nothing. Thank you, good night, drive carefully.
So according to you Novartis did not violate any laws? Did not violate its own Code? Did nothing wrong?
You know you don't want to hurt 45's pwecious wittle feelings--he would pout for days until he has a tantrum on twitter--certainly has the protection of the lick-spittle above
In actual fact if Trump was smart he would put a huge distance between himself and Novartis. He screwed up having that dinner with Vas because Novartis does not have the interest of the average American at heart. Despite Vas being a US citizen he will squeeze every last drop that he can from poor American folk to ensure that he makes his fat bonus. I picked this link of Twitter yesterday. Scandalous really : https://novartisexploitation.wixsite.com/mysite
According to Pfizer CEO everybody gets something. http://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/pfizer-ceo-psychs-up-investors-for-a-rebate-free-world-under-trump
Pay for play is going to pay off for patients and staff. Trumpy baby is known for turning on his friends so I can’t wait to see Vas in his orange outfit. Perhaps NVS should buy the rights to KY Jelly
