Martin Shkreli, noted pharmaceutical “bad boy” and connoisseur of expensive Wu Tang Clan albums, at times smirked and glared at members of Congress while appearing before the House Oversight Committee Thursday.
Shkreli repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination and was dismissed after less than 10 minutes.
Shkreli was asked to appear in front of the committee to testify about price gouging of pharmaceutical drugs after his company’s raised the price of Daraprim by 5,000 percent. Daraprim is a life-saving drug used to treat AIDS. (RELATED: Congress Subpoenas Pharma Exec Martin Shkreli Over Drug Pricing)
For much of the questioning, Shkreli rolled his eyes, fiddled with his hands and refused to look at the committee members directly. Shkreli’s most common reply to members of the committee was, “On the advice of council, I invoke my Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination and respectfully decline to answer your question.”
When asked by Republican South Carolina Rep. [crscore]Trey Gowdy[/crscore] how to pronounce his last name, Shkreli answered the congressman with an affirmative, “Yes, sir.” But he refused to answer any other questions. (RELATED: FBI Arrests Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli)
Later, when Democratic Rep. [crscore]Elijah Cummings[/crscore] urged Shkreli to change his ways, the witness smirked and averted eye contact, causing Cummings to ask, “Are you listening?” The “pharma bad boy” responded, “Yes,” but only after hearing advice from his lawyer.
While Cummings was speaking, Shkreli appeared to be on the verge of laughter, when Cummings gave him a verbal tongue lashing.
“Drug company executives are lining their pockets at the expense of some of the most vulnerable families in our nation — It’s not funny, Mr. Shkreli,” Cummings exclaimed. “People are dying, and they’re getting sicker and sicker.”
After almost 10 minutes of Shkreli not answering the committee’s questions, the chair of the committee, Rep. [crscore]Jason Chaffetz[/crscore] dismissed Shkreli out of respect for his Fifth Amendment rights.
After appearing before the House committee, Shkreli vented his animosity toward Congress on Twitter.
Hard to accept that these imbeciles represent the people in our government.
— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) February 4, 2016
I had prior counsel produce a memo on facial expressions during congressional testimony if anyone wants to see it. Interesting precedence.
— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) February 4, 2016
Shkreli also retweeted tweets from some of his “supporters.”
One, two, three, four, F-I-F. @MartinShkreli pic.twitter.com/dD9L0YncD5
— Laura Eva (@NerdyLaura) February 4, 2016
gotta root for @MartinShkreli vs. congressional idiots. .@TGowdySC where was your boldness vs @HillaryClinton ? Such a waste of time @cnbc
— CapCube Sez (@CapCube) February 4, 2016
@MartinShkreli would have ripped those buffoons a new one had his lawyer allowed him to speak.
— JoeNatural (@ChinaStockPro) February 4, 2016
@MartinShkreli I feel like an alien the way I look at half of these pathetic human beings at congress.
— Nicholas (@nicholas0511) February 4, 2016
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