Members of the committee became frustrated with the 32-year-old as he sat with his hands folded and seemed to smirk.
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Rep. Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the committee: “What do you say to that single pregnant woman who might have AIDS, no income, she needs Daraprim in order to survive”.
During his time as head of Turing, he guided the company in acquiring the drug Daraprim and raising its price to $750 for every pill.
Cummings pleaded with Shkreli to reconsider his views about drug pricing: “You can go down as the poster boy for greedy drug company executives, or you can change the system”. Violence is wrong. But just look at these pictures and tell me how you feel.
However, although he couldn’t resist smirking and sniggering at the barrage of criticism he received, he declined to offer any verbal defense; instead repeatedly reading from a prepared statement and citing the Fifth Amendment, invoking his constitutional right against self-incrimination.
After the hearing Mr Shkreli returned to Twitter to call the members of Congress “imbeciles”.
Shkreli took the Fifth Amendment on advice of his attorney because Shkreli is now on bail facing securities fraud charges, with a possibility of 20 years in prison.
After Shkreli’s exit, the grilling of Turing continued, with committee members accusing the company of blowing its blood money on executive raises and extravagant prices.
Rep. John L. Mica, Republican from Florida said after Shkreli left the room, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the committee treated with such contempt”.
“I can’t really talk to any media representatives, you have to talk to my lawyer”, Shkreli said, hanging up on Duthiers.
“I know you are smiling, but I am very serious, sir”, said Elijah Cummings, Democrat Representative for Maryland.
Cummings said Shkreli could use his influence to advocate for patients’ rights and could “make a difference in so many people’s lives”. He strums his guitar on YouTube and paid a reported $2 million for the only known copy of an album by the Wu-Tang Clan.
Shkreli appeared to smile throughout his hourlong appearance and, moments afterward, insulting tweets began to appear under his official account calling the lawmakers “imbeciles”.
While Shkreli was tight lipped inside the hearing, he was not silent on his Twitter page.
Speaking out against unfair attacks was a matter of personal integrity, Shkreli replied.
Many pharmaceutical companies increase prices annually as a matter of doing business. Cummings, attributing them to Shkreli, boiled over.
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“If you’re willing to take a public shaming – and that’s the only counterweight to a price increase – then you can take the price increase”, he said.
