'Drug Czar' Nominee Withdraws
U.S. Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa., has withdrawn his name from consideration to lead the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, President Donald J. Trump confirmed early Oct. 17.
Forty-two days after being nominated to become the latest U.S. “drug czar,” U.S. Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa., has withdrawn his name from consideration, President Donald J. Trump confirmed early Oct. 17. Trump had nominated Marino to lead the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy on Sept. 5.
The withdrawal came less than 48 hours after "60 Minutes" aired a report about a law Marino had sponsored that made it harder for the Drug Enforcement Administration to halt suspicious shipments of prescription drugs. The report was based on an investigation by "60 Minutes" and The Washington Post and caused some senators, including Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. – the report highlighted the avalanche of opioid painkilling drugs that had been delivered to some counties in his state, leading to a high rate of opioid overdose deaths – to call on the president to withdraw the nomination.
Trump also said he probably will officially declare the opioid epidemic a national emergency next week, according to news reports.