Pennsylvania AG sues OxyContin maker

• Ed Mahon
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  Ed Mahon comes to Spotlight PA from PA Post, where he covered state politics and policy, produced radio stories that were broadcast on public media stations throughout the state and on NPR’s national newscasts, and co-wrote a weekday newsletter. Prior to joining PA Post, Ed worked for six years as an investigative and political reporter for the York Daily Record, part of the USA Today Network. His reporting on failures in Pennsylvania’s system for protecting domestic abuse victims was a finalist in the national 2018 Livingston Awards for Young Journalists in the local reporting category. He was also part of a team whose coverage of the criminal justice system, including the aggressive use of civil asset forfeiture by York County prosecutors, received the 2018 G. Richard Dew Award for Journalistic Service from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. Before joining the York Daily Record, Ed covered K-12 education at the Centre Daily Times in State College and worked as a stringer for suburban sections of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He grew up in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

 Matt Rourke / AP Photo

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference in Philadelphia, Tuesday, May 14, 2019.

From The Context, PA Post’s weekday email newsletter:

Dozens of other states have already sued

Matt Rourke / AP Photo

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference in Philadelphia, Tuesday, May 14, 2019.

• In a lawsuit, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro alleges that Purdue Pharma “created the opioid epidemic that is killing Pennsylvanians.” Transforming Health reporter Brett Sholtis breaks down the 121-page lawsuit.

• Pennsylvania is at least the 39th state to make that type of claim against Connecticut-based Purdue, The Associated Press reports.Purdue has argued that states are cherry-picking information, it accounts for a small portion of opioids prescribed in the United States, and that illicit fentanyl is the driver of fatal overdose rates.

• Some counties in Pennsylvania have also sued painkiller manufacturers. Delaware County was the first in the state to do so in 2017. Some other plaintiffs weren’t happy that more than 40 cases were corralled into the Delaware County courthouse, Catherine Dunn of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported in March.

Best of the rest

Matt Rourke / Associated Press

Gun rights advocates gather for an annual rally at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Monday, May 6, 2019.

• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Liz Navratil describes the fight in Harrisburg over who is allowed to regulate guns.

• The Associated Press’ Marc Levy describes some key races to watch on May 21. The list includes contests for Philly mayor, two open Superior Court seats, the 12th congressional district special election, and three state legislative special elections.

• Lawmakers want to set a minimum age of 18 to get married in Pennsylvania without any exceptions. PennLive’s Jan Murphy has the details.