The CEO of drug giant Novartis has apologized to employees for the company’s payments to Michael Cohen, the personal attorney for President Trump.
“We made a mistake in entering into this engagement and, as a consequence, are being criticized by a world that expects more from us,” Vasant Narasimhan told employees in an email.
Special counsel Robert Mueller has inquired into payments by the Swiss-based drugmaker totaling $1.2 million to Mr. Cohen for a contract signed in February 2017, shortly after Mr. Trump’s inauguration. The firm said it wanted to gain insight into the administration’s policies on health care.
The drugmaker, and other companies including AT&T, paid Essential Consultants LLC, a shell company created by Mr. Cohen that was also used for a $130,000 hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in October 2016.
Mr. Narasimhan told Novartis employees that the revelation was difficult “personally and for my family” due to “unfounded stories” spreading in the U.S media.
“While I was not involved with any aspect of this situation, the facts did not matter. I went to sleep frustrated and tired,” Mr. Narasimhan told employees Thursday. “But I woke up this morning full of determination.”
The White House said such payments to Mr. Cohen had no influence on administration policy. The president was giving a speech Friday on his proposals to lower prescription drug prices in the U.S.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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