³ÉÈËXÕ¾

DAVE ROSS

Washington Attorney General to appeal bankruptcy plan for makers of OxyContin

Sep 2, 2021, 9:56 AM | Updated: 11:14 am

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson will appeal a federal judge’s plan to settle thousands of lawsuits against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma.

Seattle Children’s eliminates opioids from Bellevue surgery center

Ferguson says the bankruptcy plan is inadequate and that a bankruptcy court does not have the authority to prevent attorneys general from enforcing state law, including the decision to pursue the company’s owners, the Sackler family, for their illegal conduct.

“The judge is saying nobody, no individual, no state attorney general, can sue the Sackler family civilly for their involvement in the opioid epidemic and that harm that they caused. That’s outrageous, that’s buying justice, and that’s not how it works,” Ferguson said on Seattle’s Morning News.

Sackler family members serve on the board of directors, make decisions, and are involved in the day-to-day operations, Ferguson explained. If someone could take them to trial, he says they would face significant legal and financial exposure.

“I’m extremely dissatisfied with the resolution that is, frankly, legally and morally bankrupt,” he added.

Purdue’s bankruptcy plan requires the Sackler family pay $4.3 billion dollars over nine years to a group of states, municipalities, and private plaintiffs, including to Washington, that sued or have claims against the company. The plan also includes a “lifetime legal shield” for the Sackler family, as explained in .

“We’ve already filed our notice of appeal, we did that as soon as the judge was done speaking. Connecticut, which is where Purdue Pharmaceutical is headquartered, is joining with us. This case, I think, has a very good case of ending up at the U.S. Supreme Court,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson says the order is insulting to victims of the opioid epidemic who had no voice in these proceedings.

Washington is one of 48 states that sued Purdue Pharma for fueling the opioid epidemic. The state’s lawsuit asserts that the company ran a massive deceptive marketing campaign to convince doctors and the public that OxyContin is effective for treating chronic pain and has a low risk of addiction, without evidence to support its claims.

The ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Radio Newsdesk contributed to this report.

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News weekday mornings from 5 – 9 a.m. on ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Dave's Commentary

Dave Ross on ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • to ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.

Dave Ross

Image: From left, Chris Sullivan, Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien stand together in the ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradi...

MyNorthwest Staff

Dave and Colleen’s final ‘SMN:’ ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ colleagues, politicians say their goodbyes

"Seattle's Morning News" on ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio will soon have a new sound. On Thursday, Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien will host their last show together after a decade of co-hosting.

7 months ago

Classical literature on bookshelves. (Photo by Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)...

Dave Ross

Dave Ross as you’ve never heard him before: ‘I like fat books and I can’t deny’

"This song, inspired by one of my first interviews when I started my talk show, which was Sir Mix-A-Lot," Dave Ross said.

7 months ago

national debt...

Dave Ross

‘Don’t cut a cent:’ Dave Ross on why the national debt never gets under control

The national debt now exceeds $36 trillion, and every president says it has to be under control. And yet, it never is.

7 months ago

voters hormone...

Dave Ross

Ross: Voters weren’t just voting for change, they were voting for a hormone

The more I read the post-election analysis, the more I’m convinced voters weren’t just voting for a change – they were voting for a hormone.

7 months ago

ross o'brien - Seattle's Morning News...

Frank Sumrall

Dave Ross, Colleen O’Brien departing after co-hosting ‘Seattle’s Morning News’ for a decade

Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien, the co-hosts of "Seattle's Morning News" on ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio are both leaving the show.

8 months ago

election day...

Dave Ross

Dave Ross: Election Day and Decision Day are two separate things

Tomorrow is Election Day – that’s what the calendar says. But there are two problems with the term "Election Day."

8 months ago

Washington Attorney General to appeal bankruptcy plan for makers of OxyContin