Congressional committee not amused as Big Pharma Bro smirked his way through hearing

Martin Shkreli

Pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli appeared before a congressional committee to answer questions about Turing Pharmaceutical’s decision to raise the price of life-saving Diagram from $13.50 to $750 per pill, a 5,000% increase which has generally been viewed as the pinnacle of greed in the pharmaceutical industry. He laughed and smirked his way through the hearing, repeatedly invoking the Fifth Amendment and refusing to answer any questions. Congressional committee members were not amused:

"Drug company executives are lining their pockets at the expense of some of the most vulnerable families in our nation," U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, said. "It's not funny, Mr. Shkreli. People are dying and they're getting sicker and sicker."

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Georgia, the only pharmacist in Congress, said during the hearing that he supports free-market principles but was "disgusted" by drug-price-hiking companies.

"What was done here was different," Carter said. "Perverse business practices were employed.”

You can see video of the hearing, including questions from clearly clearly agitated congressman, below the fold. After the hearing, Shkreli couldn’t keep his mouth shut:

Hard to accept that these imbeciles represent the people in our government.

— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) February 4, 2016

After the hearing, he was seen running from media—to the wrong black SUV, thus thwarting his quick getaway:

The time @MartinShkreli ran to the wrong black car after pleading the 5th at a Congressional hearing: https://t.co/xcBWo72qxw

— Michael Tackett (@tackettdc) February 4, 2016