One of the White House’s closest relatives was a lobbyist to a vaccine manufacturer.
Jeff Ricchetti (brother of White House counsel Steve Ricchetti) has signed up to lobby for the company that makes Covid-19, which is only approved in Taiwan, according to a recent report.
CNBC first reported Wednesday’s disclosure that revealed the link between Ricchetti, Taiwan-based Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corporation.
Ricchetti applied to lobby the company this month. Ricchetti’s job is to be focused on “issues related to Covid-19 vaccines accepted for foreign travelers to the United States.”
Ricchetti has previously lobbyed for companies in the healthcare sector to the White House. Ricchetti also submitted to Amazon to help with Covid-19 shipment issues.
Ricchetti denied any conflict of interest allegations. He said he hadn’t mentioned his brother during talks with US officials or partners, and he didn’t lobby his relative.
“I do not lobby my brother and I have not even mentioned to him the names of clients that I currently represent,”In April, he spoke with CNBC. “For the better part of the last thirty years I have lobbied members of Congress and their staff, and various individuals who have served in the successive administrations. It is what I do for a living.”
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Medigen’s Covid vaccine is only approved for distribution in Taiwan. Ricchetti currently acts as the only lobbyist.
Ricchetti Inc., founded by both of their brothers. Steve Ricchetti was not registered as a lobbyist for many years. He resigned from the company in 2012. He went on to work in Barack Obama’s administration, in which President Joe Biden then served as vice president.
According to reports, the firm nearly tripled their earnings during the first three quarters this year compared with the previous year.
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