Menendez Challenger Has Baggage as Well

Bob Hugin, the Republican looking to unseat New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, doesn't miss a chance to highlight the allegations of corruption that have haunted the incumbent for years.

In campaign ads, Hugin sells himself as the honest Bob in the race, running on his record as a marine and the former executive of Celgene. But it's his history with that company that could become a problem for him on the campaign trail.

Under Hugin, Celgene went from a struggling biotec company to a nearly $80 billion pharmaceutical. Much of the company's success came from taking a chance on what ended up being "a blockbuster wonder drug for treating multiple types of cancer," said New York Times reporter Nick Corasaniti. 

But Corasaniti said Celgene's history is checkered. The company was accused of marketing that drug to doctors before getting Federal Drug Administration approval; generic drug companies sued Celgene for restricting access to samples of the drug; and it's come under fire for aggressively raising prices.     

Corasaniti, who co-reported a story on Celgene for the Times, spoke to WNYC's All Things Considered host Jami Floyd about the company and whether Hugin's record could deter voters this November. 

Click 'Listen' for the interview.