News November 6

ExxonMobil Under Investigation ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded oil company in the world, is under investigation over whether it misled the public and its investors over the impact of its business on climate change, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, MSNBC, Politico, The Huffington Post, New York Magazine and The Houston Chronicle reported. A spokesman for ExxonMobil confirmed Thursday that it had received a subpoena from the office of the attorney general of New York, Eric Schneiderman, related to the subject of climate change and was “assessing” its response. Sanders recently called for a Justice Department investigation into ExxonMobil regarding “what it knew and what it told the public and shareholders about the cause of climate change.” LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK

Trans-Pacific Partnership SThe release on Thursday of the full text of President Obama’s trade accord with 11 Pacific Rim nations brought out opponents and supporters and officially opened what may be the last big battle of the president’s tenure: winning congressional approval of the largest regional trade deal in history, The New York Times and The Hill reported. Sanders took a jab at front-runner Hillary Clinton over previous comments that a sweeping Pacific Rim trade deal set a "gold standard" for trade agreements. During that visit to Australia three years ago, Clinton said, "This TPP sets the gold standard in trade agreements to open free, transparent, fair trade, the kind of environment that has the rule of law and a level playing field." LINK, LINK

Social Security Sens. Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are teaming up on a bill that would hand Social Security recipients a $580 check and pay for it by trimming tax perks for corporate executives, The Hill reported. The progressive duo unveiled new legislation Thursday that would cut checks for millions of Americans that rely on Social Security benefits, weeks after the Obama administration announced there would be no cost-of-living increase to payments in 2016. LINK

Turing Investigated The U.S. Senate has launched an investigation into Turing Pharmaceuticals -- the drug company that hiked the price of a life-saving drug by 5,000 percent, CNN reported. The Senate Special Committee on Aging said it was looking into the "pricing of off-patent drugs," and requested information from Turing CEO Martin Shkreli. Sanders rejected a $2,700 campaign donation from Shkreli. Shkreli didn't take the rejection well -- he said he was so angry at Sanders he "could punch a wall!" LINK

Valeant Stock Down As Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc.’s shares plunged to their lowest level in more than two years, the drugmaker’s board and most prominent investor offered fresh support around Chief Executive Officer Mike Pearson, Bloomberg reported. The company’s third-biggest shareholder, billionaire hedge fund investor Bill Ackman, said that while he disagreed with some of Pearson’s decisions, he felt he was the right CEO for the drugmaker. The board issued a separate statement saying it stood behind Pearson. Sanders recently asked Valeant for documents related to the heart drugs Nitropress and Isuprel, whose prices shot up by 212 percent and 525 percent the day the drugmaker acquired the rights to sell them. LINK

The Senator and the Candidate Sanders' schedule is jam packed and he says it has to be to try to reach voters who have never heard of him or know very little about him. But that busy travel schedule prevents some of the glad-handing we see with other candidates, WCAX-TV reported. “What's doubly hard is that I am trying my best to be Vermont's U.S. senator in Washington,” Sanders said. “I have missed a few votes, but very, very few while some candidates for president hardly show up at all. I don't think that's right. LINK

Editorial: The Push for Marijuana “What’s needed now is responsible leadership from President Obama and Congress. They ought to seriously consider the kind of legislation Mr. Sanders has proposed. His bill would remove marijuana, or “marihuana” as it is called in federal law, from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, which is meant for drugs that have a high potential for abuse and no medical use. This change would allow states to decide if they want to make the drug legal and how to regulate it without being limited by federal law. Mr. Sanders’s bill would also make it illegal to transport the drug across state lines. If Congress is unwilling to act, Mr. Obama should move on his own by ordering the attorney general to request a study by the secretary of health and human services, which would be needed if the administration is to remove the drug from Schedule I on its own,” The New York Times editorialized. LINK

National

Exxon Probe Could Spread The opening of an investigation of Exxon Mobil by the New York attorney general’s office into the company’s record on climate change may well spur legal inquiries into other oil companies, according to legal and climate experts, although successful prosecutions are far from assured, The New York Times reported. Many oil companies have funded lobbying efforts and research on climate change, so prosecutors would most likely be able to search through vast amounts of material. The industry has also resisted pressure for years from environmental groups to warn investors of the risks that stricter limits on carbon emissions could have on their businesses, although that appears to be changing. LINK

Vermont

Vermont Cattle Randall cattle are Vermont's only known heritage breed, bred more than a hundred years ago to survive the state's tough winters, Vermont Public Radio reported. They nearly went extinct in the 1980s, but a small herd of survivors has found a home at Newhall Farm in Reading. LINK



