Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., launched a health news website — HealthNewsNJ.com — that's fake news, according to a report from STAT.
HealthNewsNJ.com is a political messaging tool meant to look like a news site, with links to articles on drug prices from real news sites like STAT, CBS News, NJ.com and Politico. The headlines have been rewritten to emphasize Mr. Menendez's competitor, former Celgene CEO Bob Hugin. "How drug companies, like Celgene's former boss, Bob Hugin, play games to stave off generic competitors," reads one headline. "Drug makers, like Bob Hugin's Celgene, 'blamed for blocking generics have jacked up prices and cost U.S. billions,'" reads another.
A disclaimer at the bottom of the site reads "Paid for by Menendez for Senate." However, the site's Facebook page classifies it as a news and media website. Its Twitter account doesn't note that it is tied to a campaign, STAT reports.
Other politicians have used campaign-branded news sites as a strategy. STAT notes President Donald Trump's "Real News Updates" site, which was launched in 2017 as part of his re-election campaign.
Read the full story here.
More articles on leadership and management:
New Mexico hospital staff denounce CEO amid facility's financial troubles
2 HHS officials forced out for inflammatory social media presence
Ousted HHS Secretary Price wasted $341K on travel, fed probe reveals