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Friday, May 09, 2014

GOVERNORS MARTIN O’MALLEY AND JACK MARKELL ISSUE JOINT LETTERS OF CONCERN ON POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF ASTRAZENECA

Letters underscore concerns about job retention, and impact on R&D in both states

Annapolis, Md.
-- Governors Martin O’Malley (MD) and Jack Markell (DE) sent a letter to Ian Read, chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pfizer, Inc., expressing deep concerns about the potential acquisition of AstraZeneca PLC. The letter highlights the potentially significant impact on good, family-sustaining jobs in both Maryland and Delaware, and expresses concern about the company’s open interest in gaining access to offshore funds and “tax-efficient” operations.

AstraZeneca employs approximately 3,100 people in Maryland, and approximately 2,600 people in Delaware, prompting the two governors to seek answers about the company’s potential future in the two states.

The two governors also sent letters expressing concern to several federal executive branch officials, including Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, and SEC Chair Mary Jo White, as well as to a number of members of Congress -- including Speaker of the House John Boehner, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, several congressional committees, Chairs Representative Kevin Brady and Senator Amy Klobuchar of the U.S. Joint Economic Committee, and members of both the Maryland and Delaware Congressional delegations.

The governors also highlighted Pfizer’s assurances to British Prime Minister David Cameron on job retention, potential relocation, as well as employment guarantees for workers in the United Kingdom, and noted that Pfizer has yet to provide any commitment to Maryland or Delaware.
The letter requests responses from Pfizer regarding the potential impact on thousands of residents in both states, as well as a number of other issues, including: the potential number of jobs to be eliminated upon acquisition; commitments Pfizer is prepared to make to current AstraZeneca employees; future interest in investments in R&D and maintenance of innovation efforts; and answers to questions about potential redistribution of assets.

In order to preserve and protect American jobs and the future of families affected in the two states, both governors indicated that they intend to continue to pursue their concerns with the White House, members of the Obama Administration, and the U.S. Congress.

The full text of the letter to Pfizer is attached.

Letter to Pfizer - MD-DE 5 8 14.pdf

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sometimes I think our Government at all levels just don't have any understanding of business at all. Company's who are taxed and regulated to the extreme will always be looking for a way to improve their situation. Wouldn't You?

Anonymous said...

there going to leave so they can keep making money like everyone else...

Its all your governors faults anyway and now they act as if they care...

I also love how they say they make jobs and all this bs and you see in the news directly after they say it, ooop this place here and there are leaving the state and taking 3k jobs with us lol

Anonymous said...

Poster 7:42 AM:

You are right but the govt knows all of this... They know what they are doing and most of the time but not all of the time they know why they are doing it...

This stuff is happening for a reason and for a purpose and nothing less... IT HAS NOTHING, and I repeat, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE POLITICIANS BEING STUPID... They just play or sound stupid because they go along to get along... BUT HONESTLY HOW CAN YOU SAY THEY ARE STUPID WHEN THEY FOOLED ALL OF YOU ALL THIS TIME AND STILL DO SO? you still vote for them, well they make it back into their positions even when you ALL SAY YOU ARE DONE WITH THEM....

They politicians are smart enough to implement all of this crap and make you pay for it all and not give one iota of a thought to stop it... They tax you fee you and take 39 to 50 percent of your check and they keep getting cost of living rasies and keep getting like 5 to 10 percent rasies for the hell of it while you lose your job or hours or house or car or anything of the like...

SO REAL WHO IS STUPID HERE? YOU THE PEOPLE ARE... YOU LET THEM DO IT YOU CONTINUE TO LET THEM DO IT SO ITS YOUR FAULT NOT THEIRS... you all know that being in power people abuse it so that is no excuse to ignore it...


I FIND IT FUNNY how you all blame the govt when its your own damned fault...

Anonymous said...

Hey 8:14,

I don't see anything funny about it.

I vote, but unfortunately my one vote won't get them all thrown out on their ass.

Sadly, stupid people get to vote too, and there just so many of them.

Anonymous said...

Too little too late.

Anonymous said...

Now he's worried about Md jobs! Two years ago he ended Catalyst drug co based in Rockville ended the contract early they supplied the Md state employees their RX drug program....and signed an early 4 year 4 Million dollar contract and signed with express scripts in Missouri those md catalyst employees lost their job

Anonymous said...

7:42 really... people and businesses are bailing from Maryland right and left. Before you rant, check your facts. The taxation in Maryland is not conducive to a good business environment. This administration is stupid! I will agree that the low information people and illegal immigrants that keep voting these clowns into office in Maryland are stupider...

Anonymous said...

My thoughts are that he finally is realizing Maryland is losing big time and this is a desperate attempt to save face.

The most unfortunate part about all this is that if he hadn't had the higher tax policies he had we wouldn't be in this hole to begin with.

When will the democrats realize that raising taxes is not the answer.