Drug Companies Illegally Lobbied Against Drug Price Ballot Initiative Ohio Group Alleges

An Ohio advocacy group filed a complaint with the state’s Election Commission claiming drugmakers covertly funded efforts against a drug pricing ballot initiative.

Ohio Taxpayers for Lower Drug Prices filed the complaint in connection with its Yes on Issue 2 campaign, which supports a measure on the November ballot that would require the state to pay no more for prescription drugs than what the Department of Veterans Affairs pays for the same drugs.

The group accuses drugmakers of making donations aimed at influencing an election — meeting the definition of a political action committee, but concealing it by means of a “bogus” limited liability company.