The New York Times recently published an article that suggests Congresswoman, Shelley Berkley used her congressional influence to benefit her husband's business.
Berkley's husband Dr. Larry Lehrner is a nephrologist and directs kidney care at UMC on a $738,000-a-year contract. The New York Times reports that Lehrner's role at UMC was expanded after Berkley successfully convinced federal regulators to back off UMC when the government threatened to shut down the kidney transplant unit at the hospital.
According to the Times, this was just one in a series of actions dating back five years in which the congresswoman pushed legislation or used her influence with federal regulators to pursue an agenda that is aligned with the business interests of her husband. We talk with Eric Lipton, the New York Times reporter who broke the story and Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
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Melanie Sloan, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Eric Lipton, reporter, New York Times