Residents of the Town of Tonawanda are calling on Assemblyman Robin Schimminger to resign his office, following revelations that he has taken more than $27,000 from the nation’s largest opioid dealers — more than nearly every other member of the Assembly. The opioid industry first started taking an interest in Schimminger in 2000, and have since groomed him as one of their most reliable votes.
In 2002 opioid deaths nationally numbered about 12,000 annually. In 2016, opioids were the cause of death for more than 64,000 individuals. During the 2017 calendar year just ended, more than 71,600 people died of opioids.
Approximately 11.8 million Americans misused an opioid in 2016. Of those, just 8% used heroin. The majority misused prescription painkillers, and the main reason wasn’t to get high but to get pain relief. In addition, an estimated 2.1 million people were addicted to heroin or prescription painkillers last year.
Schimminger currently serves as the chairman of the Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry. But that’s not why opioid pushers tend to him with such fervor: he also sits on the Health Committee, which regulates the healthcare, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries.
He is the longest serving Assemblyman on that Committee, except for Chairman Richard Gottfreid, who was elected to his Manhattan district in 1971. Gottfreid received more than $31,000 from opioid dealers since 1999.
The 140th Assembly District, which includes the City and Town of Tonawanda, the City of North Tonawanda, the Village of Kenmore, and the Riverside section of the City of Buffalo. The district has been hit hard by the Nation’s opioid epidemic, and residents are blaming lax public health laws from fueling rising death tolls.
Schimminger is the definition of a career politician. He is the kind of politician whose name everyone has heard, but whose face nobody is able to picture. At age 70, he has spent his entire working life in political office. Schimminger was first elected to the Assembly in 1976, and before that he served in the Erie County Legislature (in the seat that Democrat Party Boss Len Lenihan would eventually occupy).
Many constituents say that blood is on his hands, and several activists are considering a primary against him later this year.
Riverside Councilman Joe Golombek, activist Leslie Brill, and City of Tonawanda Democratic Chairperson Gayle Syposs are being encouraged to run.
It’s unclear if North Tonawanda’s new Alderman-At-Large Austin Tylec (an attractive, bright, and energetic political newcomer who is widely seen as a rising star among local Democrats) is considering the race.
| NOVARTIS | 150 | 17-Apr-00 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2000 July Periodic | B | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACIA | 300 | 15-May-01 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2001 July Periodic | B | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NEW YORK STATE | 300 | 21-May-01 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2001 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 250 | 5-Jul-01 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2012 January Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NEW YORK STATE | 300 | 5-Feb-02 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2002 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACIA | 300 | 12-Feb-02 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2002 July Periodic | B | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| ANDERSON, DAVID J (ASTRA ZENECA) | 200 | 30-May-02 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2002 July Periodic | A | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| NOVARTIS | 300 | 15-Dec-02 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2003 January Periodic | B | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NEW YORK STATE | 400 | 25-Mar-03 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2003 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NEW YORK STATE | 300 | 14-May-03 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2003 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC – NYS | 300 | 22-Jul-03 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2004 January Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| ASTRA USA | 300 | 1-Oct-03 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2004 January Periodic | B | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH & MANUFACTURERS OF AMERI | 250 | 24-Nov-03 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2004 January Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| ASTRA USA | 300 | 1-Mar-04 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2004 July Periodic | B | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| NOVARTIS | 300 | 4-Mar-04 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2004 July Periodic | B | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC – NYS | 300 | 23-Mar-04 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2004 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NEW YORK STATE | 250 | 14-Apr-04 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2004 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NEW YORK STATE | 500 | 25-May-04 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2004 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH & MANUFACTURERS OF AMERI | 200 | 8-Nov-04 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2004 27 Post General | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NEW YORK STATE | 100 | 14-Dec-04 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2005 January Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| ASTRA USA | 400 | 23-May-05 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2005 July Periodic | B | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 400 | 7-Jul-05 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2005 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 600 | 15-Sep-05 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2006 January Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 400 | 27-Feb-06 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2006 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| NOVARTIS | 400 | 3-Apr-06 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2006 July Periodic | B | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 400 | 24-Apr-06 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2006 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 500 | 25-Apr-06 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2006 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| JOHNSON & JOHNSON | 275 | 28-Sep-06 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2006 32 Pre General | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| Eli Lilly & Co | 500 | 1-Nov-06 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2006 27 Post General | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 500 | 29-May-07 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2007 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| Eli Lilly & Co | 500 | 4-Jun-07 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2007 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 500 | 26-Jul-07 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2008 January Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| Eli Lilly & Co | 500 | 4-Jan-08 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2008 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 500 | 17-Apr-08 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2008 32 Pre General | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 250 | 6-May-08 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2008 32 Pre General | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| Eli Lilly & Co | 500 | 13-Feb-09 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2009 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| ASTRA ZENECA | 500 | 26-Mar-09 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2009 July Periodic | B | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 500 | 23-Apr-09 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2009 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 750 | 26-May-09 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2009 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 500 | 29-Jan-10 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2010 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| Eli Lilly & Co | 500 | 15-Feb-10 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2010 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 500 | 22-Apr-10 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2010 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| ASTRA USA | 500 | 13-Jul-10 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2010 10 Post Primary | B | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| JOHNSON & JOHNSON | 500 | 20-Aug-10 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2010 10 Post Primary | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 500 | 14-Feb-11 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2011 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 500 | 21-Mar-11 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2011 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| Eli Lilly & Co | 500 | 28-Mar-11 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2011 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 500 | 7-Feb-12 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2012 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| Eli Lilly & Co | 500 | 14-Feb-12 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2012 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 500 | 28-Feb-12 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2012 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 500 | 8-May-12 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2012 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 500 | 12-Feb-13 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2013 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 500 | 25-Feb-13 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2013 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 250 | 23-Jul-13 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2014 January Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| Eli Lilly & Co | 500 | 14-Apr-14 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2014 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 500 | 12-Aug-14 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2014 32 Pre General | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 250 | 6-Oct-14 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2014 11 Pre General | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 500 | 10-Feb-15 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2015 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 500 | 25-Feb-15 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2015 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| Eli Lilly & Co | 500 | 3-Mar-15 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2015 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 500 | 21-May-15 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2015 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC | 500 | 5-Feb-16 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2016 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 500 | 6-Apr-16 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2016 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PHARMACY PAC OF NYS | 200 | 18-Nov-16 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2016 27 Post General | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| PFIZER PAC | 500 | 7-Feb-17 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2017 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
| Eli Lilly & Co | 500 | 10-Feb-17 | CITIZENS FOR SCHIMMINGER | 2017 July Periodic | C | Member of Assembly | 140 |
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