On April 19, Hoffmann-La Roche and Johnson & Johnson will host a breakfast fundraiser for Bill Pascrell Jr, a Democratic congressman from New Jersey, who sits on the House Ways and Means Committee. The event takes place at Roche’s K Street offices in Washington, DC.

There’s nothing unusual about such events, of course, although generally they don’t attract much attention. However, this one found its way onto the blog run by The Legal Times, so we’re passing it along for anyone who may have an appetite that morning for chit-chat about upcoming legislation and a side of scrambled eggs.

Generally, the pharmaceutical industry hasn’t been one of Pascrell’s biggest backers, although his home district includes Roche’s US headquarters, a large facility in Nutley, a 30-minute ride from the Lincoln Tunnel. So such a gathering shouldn’t come as a total surprise, given that Democrats now control Congress.

What is interesting, however, is this suggests the influence of Pascrell’s Republican counterpart, Mike Ferguson, may be waning. The industry has given him tremendous backing and viewed him as the go-to guy among the Garden State delegation, since he sits on the House and Energy Commerce committee, which has jurisdiction over the FDA.

Mike won’t go hungry, though. His dad founded a well-known healthcare ad agency that did business with drugmakers and was later sold to a larger advertising conglomerate.

You can see political contributions to Pascrell here and Ferguson here.

Hat tip to The Legal Times.

[tags]Bill Pascrell Jr, Johnson & Johnson, Lobbying, Mike Ferguson, Roche[/tags]