Former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson takes Lilly job

[Project Grudge]

Source: Indianapolis Star

Former mayor to become drug maker's top lobbyist and spokesman


A During eight years as mayor of Indianapolis, Bart Peterson overhauled the city's aging sewers, paved the way for a new Colts stadium and led the charge for charter schools.

Now he is about to test his political skills in a new way: as the top lobbyist and spokesman for Eli Lilly and Co., just as the nation embarks on a major debate over health-care reform.



Peterson's appointment Friday as Lilly's new senior vice president of corporate affairs and communications -- a job once held by Gov. Mitch Daniels -- adds strength to the Indianapolis drug maker's already loud voice on public policy issues.

Lilly, the world's 10th-largest drug maker, is widely known for aggressively pushing the industry's agenda on drug prices, generic competition and health insurance, often with more force than larger competitors, including Pfizer and Merck.


Read more: http://www.indystar.com/article/20090606/BUSINESS03/906060439/Former+Indy+Mayor+Bart+Peterson+takes+Lilly+job

---

This is an example of why healthcare reform will be the toughest legislation to pass, but it's the most important legislation facing the country, both from a moral and economic point-of-view.

[abq e streeter]

1. That's Democratic Mayor Peterson, as in Democratic Senator Baucus

I'm old enough to remember a Democratic party that was pretty much consistently on the side of the people, not the corporations. Did I miss the big transition during a nap or something?

[Sadie5]

2. Peterson

Is as close to a repub as they get, even though he calls himself a Democrat.