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Sunday, July 6, 2025

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Susan Crawford Was Hired Gun for Israeli Big Pharma Company Tied to Opioid Epidemic

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Liberal Judge Susan Crawford was a hired gun for an Israeli Big Pharma company that later entered into massive settlements for its key role in fueling the opioid epidemic that led to the deaths of thousands of Wisconsinites, Wisconsin Right Now has documented.

Court records show that Crawford was an attorney of record representing Teva Pharmaceuticals and its subsidiary Actavis in 2016, as a private lawyer in Madison, on a price-fixing lawsuit. She’s also listed in court records as representing Teva in 2014. Crawford was also listed as a lawyer representing Teva in a third lawsuit involving Wisconsin. It accused pharmaceutical companies of inflating drug prices to Wisconsin Medicaid.

Teva was a key player in fueling the opioid crisis in the United States, lawsuits alleged.

According to the Washington Post, in a 2019 story, a DEA database attributed “the vast majority of the 76 billion opioid pills produced and shipped from 2006 through 2012 to three companies that are now controlled by large multinational drugmakers,” listing among them, “Actavis, part of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in Israel.”

Susan crawford

Noted the Post, “Actavis’ sales of the generic version of OxyContin and other drugs containing oxycodone grew from 559 million in 2006 to more than 1.1 billion in 2012.”

Susan crawford

In 2023, Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul announced “the final approval of $17.3 billion in opioid agreements with drug makers” and pharmacies, including Teva, as the culmination of a multi-state lawsuit. “The opioid crisis has resulted in harm to countless people, and those who fueled the crisis must be held accountable,” Kaul said in a press release.

More than 13,000 Wisconsinites died from opioid overdoses between 2000 and 2022 alone, according to the state of Wisconsin.

According to Kaul, states alleged that Teva:

  • “promoted potent, rapid-onset fentanyl products for use by non-cancer patients;”
  • “deceptively marketed opioids by downplaying the risk of addiction and overstating their benefits, including encouraging the idea that signs of addiction are actually “pseudoaddiction” treated by prescribing more opioids;”
  • “failed to comply with suspicious order monitoring requirements along with its distributor, Anda.”

Rewind to 2016 and 2014, and one of the lawyers who represented Teva’s interests was… Susan Crawford, the liberal lawyer who is now running for state Supreme Court against former Republican AG Brad Schimel. This is documented in court records.

Perhaps ironically, Susan Crawford represented the pharmaceutical company in a lawsuit originally brought by Kaul’s mother, former Democratic AG Peg Lautenschlager, who was acting as a private citizen on behalf of the State of Wisconsin.

Explaining Susan Crawford’s Involvement

In the suit that involved Crawford on the side of Big Pharma, multiple pharmaceutical companies, including Teva, were accused of violating “Wisconsin’s now-repealed False Claims for Medical Assistance Act,” the appellate decision in the 2016 case says. Crawford and the other lawyers succeeded in getting the case thrown out.

In May 2016, the suit alleged the pharmaceutical companies “defrauded the State and its Medicaid program by causing the submission of false pricing information regarding prescription drugs, in violation of the FCMAA.” The appellate decision says the pharmaceutical companies’ lawyers argued that the repeal of FCMAA (signed into law by Gov. Scott Walker) rendered the lawsuit moot, and the court agreed.

In 2024, the price-fixing accusations finally caught up to Teva. “Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. has agreed to pay $450 million to resolve allegations it used charities that help cover Medicare patients’ out-of-pocket drug costs as a means to pay kickbacks to boost sales of its multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone and conspired to fix prices for generic drugs,” wrote the Times of Israel.

In the 2016 case, Crawford is listed in circuit court records as an attorney of record for Teva Pharmaceuticals in this case:

Dane County Case Number 2016CV001262

State of Wisconsin Ex rel. vs. Actavis Mid Atlantic LLC et al

She is listed as an attorney for Teva along with Lester Pines, also an attorney at the private law firm where she worked at the time (her work for that firm included filing lawsuits seeking to overturn Act 10 and Voter ID).

Crawford is also listed as an attorney for Actavis Mid Atlantic, LLC, as well as for Teva on the appeal.

Susan crawford

The Supreme Court refused a petition by another lawyer for review. The appellate decision is here.

It says, “Relator William P. Rippl appeals from a circuit court order dismissing a lawsuit commenced against Actavis Mid Atlantic, LLC, and other pharmaceutical companies, alleging that they violated Wisconsin’s now-repealed False Claims for Medical Assistance Act (FCMAA), formerly WIS. STAT. § 20.931 (2013-14).” The appeals court affirmed the lower case’s decision.

The case was initially brought by Lautenschlager, but she died before it finished and was replaced by Rippl, her husband, according to the appeals court decision.

Susan crawford

In 2019, Kaul joined a multi-state price-fixing lawsuit against Teva. “Among the evidence now public are emails between generic drug manufacturers coordinating their response to a Congressional inquiry, emails enforcing ‘fair share’ and ‘playing nice in the sandbox’ market allocation, ‘fluff pricing’ strategy and other brazen coordination to artificially inflate prices, hinder competition and unreasonably restrain trade across the industry,” his press release says.

Susan crawfordSusan crawford

Susan Crawford is also listed as an attorney for Teva Pharmaceuticals in this case, also involving Lautenschlager:

Dane County Case Number 2014CV002293

State of Wisconsin et al vs. Actavis Mid Atlantic LLC et al

See the appellate record here.

Susan crawford

Teva has continued to run into controversies.

“The European Commission said Thursday it has fined Israeli generic drugmaker Teva more than 460 million euros ($500 million) for improperly seeking to protect the patent for its multiple sclerosis drug and for disparaging a rival company’s development of a competing medicine,” the Associated Press reported in 2024.

Court records show Crawford entered the third case as a lawyer for Teva on June 23, 2014, and withdrew on July 29, 2014.

That case is: Dane County Case Number 2004CV001709 State of WI vs. Abbott Laboratories et al

The third case accused the drug companies of inflating prices to defraud Medicaid.

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(The Center Square) – Josh Schoemann, the only Republican currently in the race for governor next year, is criticizing Gov. Tony Evers’ approach to the next state budget by comparing it to his plans in Washington County.

“In Washington County our budget cycle starts right now, and it’s not due until November. We will propose our budget goals to the County Board in the next couple of months. We will share ‘This is what we’re thinking.’ It gives them months of time to think those through, give us feedback, and [have] that kind of dialogue,” Schoemann explained in an interview on News Talk 1130 WISN.

Schoemann said that is far better than the approach Evers is taking again this year.

“That’s not how government is supposed to work,” Schoemann said. “It’s not the vision of the governor. It’s not the vision of any one person.”

Evers and the Republican legislative leaders who will write the budget have been involved in on-again, off-again budget talks this month. On Thursday, the governor’s office said those talks were off once again because of gridlock in the Senate.

“Ultimately, the Senate needs to decide whether they were elected to govern and get things done or not,” Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback said in a post on X.

Schoemann’s criticism of Evers is nothing new. He has long been a critic of the governor and has turned that criticism up since launching his campaign for governor.

But the recent criticism was also aimed at other Republicans who may jump into the 20206 governor’s race later this year.

“Nobody else in this race on the Republican side, being rumored to this point, has the executive leadership of skills and history to be able to show ‘This is how I’ve done it before, and here’s how we’ll do it Madison,’” Schoemann said. “The results in Washington County speak for themselves.”

Northwoods Congressman Tom Tiffany is also rumored to be looking to get into the Republican race. Before he went to Congress, Tiffany was a Republican lawmaker in Madison.

Businessman and veteran Bill Berrien is also on the short list of likely GOP candidates for 2026.

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Wisconsin Budget Negotiations Reach Impasse Between Evers, Legislature

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin budget negotiations have reached an impasse with both sides pointing fingers at the other in Wednesday afternoon statements.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said Republican Legislative leaders backed out of negotiations after he agreed to “an income tax cut targeting Wisconsin’s middle-class and working families and eliminating income taxes for certain retirees.” He said Republican leaders would not agree to “meaningful increased investments in child care, K-12 schools, and the University of Wisconsin System.”

Republican Assembly leaders said the two sides were "far apart. Senate leaders say Evers’ desires “extend beyond what taxpayers can afford.”

“The Joint Committee on Finance will continue using our long-established practices of crafting a state budget that contains meaningful tax relief and responsible spending levels with the goal of finishing on time,” said a statement from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Assembly Finance Co-Chairman Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam.

Evers said that there were meetings between the sides every day this week before the impasse.

“I told Republicans I’d support their half of the deal and their top tax priorities – even though they’re very similar to bills I previously vetoed – because I believe that’s how compromise is supposed to work, and I was ready to make that concession in order to get important things done for Wisconsin’s kids,” Evers said.

Senate Republican leadership said that good faith negotiations have occurred since April on a budget compromise.

“Both sides of these negotiations worked to find compromise and do what is best for the state of Wisconsin,” said a statement from Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, and Senate Joint Finance Co-Chairman Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green.

In early May, the Joint Committee on Finance took 612 items out of Gov. Tony Evers’ budget proposal, including Medicaid expansion in the state, department creations and tax exemptions.

Born previously estimated that Evers’ budget proposal would lead to $3 billion in tax increases over the two-year span.

Wisconsin Policy Forum estimated that the proposal would spend down more than $4 billion of the state’s expected $4.3 billion surplus if it is enacted.

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DOJ Begins California Title IX Investigation Over ‘Trans’ Boys Dominating Girls’ Sports

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced it is investigating California for violating Title IX by allowing males to participate in female student sports.

“Title IX exists to protect women and girls in education,” said Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for Civil Rights. “It is perverse to allow males to compete against girls, invade their private spaces, and take their trophies.”

In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning males from participating in female student sports, and he has threatened to block California's federal funding for continuing to defy his order. With California facing deficits in the tens of billions of dollars each year, it's unclear how the state would offset any losses or pauses in federal funding.

Notably, California Gov. Gavin Newsom hosted conservative pundit Charlie Kirk on his podcast and told Kirk that he thinks it’s “deeply unfair” that boys are participating in girls’ sports.

When asked later at a press conference what this means for state policy, Newsom demurred, painting the matter as a marginal, non-issue not worth his time.

“You're talking about a very small number of people, a very small number of athletes, and my responsibility is to address the pressing issues of our time,” said Newsom.

The California Interscholastic Federation, which governs student sports in California, has since responded to Trump’s threat by announcing a new pilot program to allow girls who otherwise would have qualified for sports finals had the finalist spots in girls’ sports not been taken by transgender-identifying boys to participate in said finals.

Title IX was signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1972 to ensure that schools could not discriminate against female students. It requires they be provided with equal opportunities to engage in athletics, extracurriculars and education.

DOJ’s letter of interest says it is investigating whether California’s Assembly Bill 1266, which requires transgender-identifying students to be allowed to participate in sports consistent with their gender identities, violates Title IX.

“As a result of CIF’s policy, California’s top-ranked girls’ triple jumper, and second-ranked girls’ long-jumper, is a boy,” wrote the DOJ. “As recently as May 17, this male athlete was allowed to take winning titles that rightfully belong to female athletes in both events.”

“This male athlete will now be allowed to compete against those female athletes again for a state title in long, triple, and high jump,” continued the DOJ. “Other high school female athletes have alleged that they were likewise robbed of podium positions and spots on their teams after they were forced to compete against males.”

Should the DOJ find California is in violation of Title IX, it says it will “take appropriate action to eliminate that discrimination, including seeking injunctive relief.”