Martin Shkreli may skip drug pricing hearing

The leader of the House Oversight Committee on Friday rejected requests to postpone a high-profile hearing on drug prices that is expected to include testimony from the embattled former CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, Martin Shkreli.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) told Shkreli’s attorney that he will hold the hearing as scheduled and that Shkreli must plan to attend, according to a letter viewed by The Hill. If Shkreli does not testify, he would violate the committee’s subpoena — a legal obligation that Chaffetz threatened to enforce.

“We expect him to comply with our subpoena,” a spokeswoman for Chaffetz said in an email.

The committee’s top Democrat, however, said he is unsure whether Shkreli, who is facing separate criminal charges for securities fraud, will attend.

“We honestly have no idea what he will do on Tuesday, but his problems are going from bad to worse very quickly,” Rep. Elijah Cummings (Md.) said in a statement to The Hill.

Shkreli, who was subpoenaed on Jan. 12 to testify about claims of price-gouging by his company, has repeatedly asked Chaffetz to postpone the hearing.

In a letter to Chaffetz on Friday, Shkreli’s attorney asked the panel to excuse the former CEO from the hearing because of a federal court order that prohibits him from traveling outside New York City.

Chaffetz rejected the idea that Shkreli did not know he would be forced to attend the hearing even if planned to remain silent and plead the Fifth Amendment.  

“It also begs the question: What have you done since receiving the letter January 20 to ensure that Mr. Shkreli does not violate his bond agreement when he travels to Washington for next week’s hearing?” Chaffetz wrote.

Shkreli also appears to be having problems with his legal representation. Shkreli’s attorney had asked Chaffetz on Friday to postpone the hearing because of his “uncertain status” to represent his client.