Spezakis signs pledge to refuse healthcare industry donations

One of rep. Bill Pascrell’s (D-Paterson) primary challengers signed a pledge promising to refuse big-dollar campaign contributions from healthcare industry.

By signing the Patients over Profits pledge, Zina Spezakis has promised to decline donations from executives, lobbyists and political action committees associated with the field or who work at pharmaceutical companies that belong to the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future.

“I am making this pledge because our elected officials should always put their constituents first. People in New Jersey’s 9th congressional district have been neglected by an unfair system that always works for large corporations and the most connected individuals, but not for them,” Spezakis said. “That changes now. I will not be influenced by corporations that use large sums of money to prevent significant reforms in medicine and insurance that can help people.”

According to the center for responsive politics, Pascrell has received just over $1.1 million from health professionals since 1995, including $62,175 this campaign cycle.