Press Release

New Brunswick, N.J. – Greedy drug company CEO Bob Hugin signaled to right wing extremists that he will back Donald Trump’s pick of Brett Kavanaugh to swing the U.S. Supreme Court balance for generations to the hard right and let corporations like Hugin’s rip off consumers and patients.

“Republican Senate candidate and major Trump financial donor Bob Hugin signaled to his conservative cronies that he’d back a Trump Supreme Court nominee who will threaten voting, civil and women’s reproductive rights, jeopardize protections for patients with pre-existing conditions, favor big industry over the public interest when it comes to our environment and the rights of workers and consumers, and block any attempts to enact sensible gun safety reforms.  And of course greedy drug company CEO Bob Hugin wants a Supreme Court that would let companies like his take advantage of consumers and patients,” said Menendez Campaign Chairman Michael Soliman.

“Mr. Hugin your record is clear- you’ve given millions to anti-choice candidates and organizations like the Heritage Foundation, who backed Kavanaugh, and admitted to an ultra-conservative radio host that you’re in lockstep with Trump and McConnell in supporting a nominee who would guarantee Roe v. Wade is overturned,” Soliman continued.  “Bob Hugin will be nothing but a rubber stamp for Donald Trump and his right wing allies.  He cannot be trusted.”

Bob Hugin recently told conservative talk show host Kevin McCullough on his radio program that nominating a justice to the U.S. Supreme Court “is one of the great reasons why we’re very fortunate that we have President Trump,” and called the list of right wing judges handpicked by the anti-choice, corporate-crusading Heritage Foundation and Federalist Society, which included Kavanaugh, “some of the most impressive jurists and lawyers in our country.”  Hugin continued: “Certainly, I’d be supportive of the kind of judges that we’ve seen nominated, Justice Gorsuch and others, over the last year and a half.”

While Donald Trump has packed lower courts with extremists antithetical to the values of New Jerseyans, Justice Neil Gorsuch has been instrumental in recent high court decisions that have upheld Trump’s Muslim ban, restricted women’s access to reproductive health, and undermined labor unions.

Kavanaugh’s controversial nomination to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2003 was held up for three years.  During his 12 years on the bench, Kavanaugh has upheld extreme conservative positions: blocking an undocumented minor in government custody from exercising her right to abortion care; consistently ruling against environmental clean air and clean water protections, and opposing efforts to fight climate change; rejecting common sense gun safety laws; and consistently favoring big industry and corporate interests in claims of worker discrimination, employer mistreatment and safety.

According to public records and tax information, Hugin has personally contributed $2.1 million dollars over the past 20-plus years to Republican candidates, PACs and conservative organizations that oppose a woman’s right to choose, LGBTQ equality, and any sensible gun safety measures, including $250,000 to help elect Donald Trump.  The Hugin Family Foundation gave over $500,000 to the right wing Heritage Foundation.

Hugin’s deep-pocketed donations have gone to House Speaker Paul Ryan, who has led the crusade in Congress to defund Planned Parenthood, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Rep. Tom McArthur.  Hugin has also historically backed anti-gay politicians like Scott Garrett and the late Jesse Helms.

Sen. Menendez voted no during Kavanaugh’s 2006 confirmation and announced yesterday that he would stand up for New Jersey values and oppose his Supreme Court nomination.

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