Shapiro takes on everything from big pharma to the president to the Catholic Church -- and wins | PennLive Editorial

Attorney General Josh Shapiro boasts about taking on the big fights, and in the three years since he’s been in office, his fights indeed have been doozies.

He’s taken on pharmaceutical companies to hold them responsible for practices that addicted thousands of people to opioids.

He’s taken on the Catholic Church to hold pedophile priests responsible for the life-long trauma they brought to thousands of children trusted into their care.

He’s taken on the National Rifle Association and gun rights advocates who want no compromise on second amendment rights.

And he’s even taken on President Donald Trump, battling his policy of forced separation of immigrant children from their parents at the U.S. southern border; his violations of the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act and his efforts to deny women access to no-cost contraception.

“I’ve taken the president to court 29 times, Shapiro told PennLive’s Editorial Board last week. “Seventeen have come to fruition.”

One of those 17 was a big win for Pennsylvania’s women. The Trump Administration tried to advance a policy to limit access to no-cost birth control. Shapiro sued, and a federal judge sided with Pennsylvania, slapping a hold on the Trump administration’s rule, not only here but nationwide.

Shapiro’s been criticized for perhaps taking on too many big fights, especially against the president. But he’s not backing down. He says he only fights when Pennsylvania’s interests are directly involved, and when he knows he can win.

Shapiro has even stepped into the “build that wall” fight, which normally shouldn’t involve Pennsylvania. But 50 of the children taken at the border were brought to Pittsburgh, giving Shapiro another opportunity to put on his gloves and enter the ring.

Shapiro’s decisions on when and what to fight line up with what many Pennsylvanians consider their top issues. At the top of list is the opioid epidemic.

Each day, at least 12 Pennsylvanians die from heroin and fentanyl overdoses, Shapiro said, a direct result of people addicted to opioids seeking a cheaper substitute when their prescription runs out. And he’s led a sea change in how law enforcement, as well as the rest of us, see the problem.

“Drug addiction is not a crime,” Shapiro said, “it’s a disease.” So he’s turned to doctors to help deal with the repercussions of their overprescribing Opioids that have addicted thousands of people in Pennsylvania of all ages, races and locales.

Doctors have started reducing the number of opioid prescriptions they write, which has helped stem the increase in addictions. But Shapiro is also rightly focused on rooting out fraudulent practices in doctor’s offices.

Since he became attorney general, his office has made 538 arrests for prescription fraud, which he says is a 61 percent increase.

Shapiro is also going after powerful pharmaceutical companies that he blames for manufacturing the opioid crisis.

“They made specific decisions to turn blind eyes to the problem,” Shapiro said. “As a result, we have this crisis today."

And many Pennsylvanians agree with his argument that these companies should be made to pay to solve the problems they created. Shapiro says there are six manufacturers and three distributors, and in 2017, his office joined a coalition of 41 attorneys general to investigate them for misleading or deceptive marketing practices.

Their efforts to hold big pharma accountable for the misery they caused is starting to pay off.

In October, Shapiro and other districts attorneys announced a settlement with several pharmaceutical companies that will bring almost $50 billion to Pennsylvania and other states.

The companies -- Cardinal Health, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, Johnson & Johnson and Teva -- agreed to pay up for their roles in fueling the opioid epidemic. The money will include $22.25 billion in cash and $26 billion in medication-assisted treatment drug provision and distribution over 10 years.

Shapiro should continue to pursue the companies that are responsible for the opioid crisis, as he should pursue the other issues that clearly matter to Pennsylvanians, including sensible gun laws, pedophile priests and protecting consumers from scam artists.

It’s welcome news that Shapiro is not waiting on Washington or the Pennsylvania legislature to address mass shootings and the proliferation of guns on our streets. He’s taking steps within his own jurisdiction to address the problem.

Shapiro is in line with a growing majority of Pennsylvanians who support background checks for people who purchase guns, and he looking to establish a gun task force in Harrisburg to address gun violence.

Shapiro also is launching a new “Track and Trace,” initiative to keep track of guns seized in crimes. Believe it or not, many law enforcement agencies throughout the state weren’t following that simple procedure to keep track of weapons, even though it’s required by law.

These efforts to protect the public are indeed commendable, as is the attorney general’s efforts to help people fight fraud, both cyber and otherwise.

To take on such mega issues requires not only a savvy attorney general but a dedicated team walking in lockstep with him. This is good news for the people of Pennsylvania. An office once beset with scandal and strife now seems well equipped to take on the fights the commonwealth so desperately needs to win.

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