Hadassah Lieberman

Hadassah Lieberman joined the Hill & Knowlton public relations firm in March 2005. "The legendary lobbying and PR firm hired her as a 'senior counselor' in its 'health and pharmaceuticals practice'," Joe Conason wrote July 12, 2006, in Truthdig, marking her "return to consulting after more than a decade of retirement."

Lieberman, a daughter of Holocaust survivors and a naturalized U.S. Citizen, is the wife of Joseph I. Lieberman, a Democrat and the Junior U.S. Senator from Connecticut.

Hadassah Lieberman "earned a master’s degree in international relations from Northeastern University [1971], worked at Hill & Knowlton public relations as a senior counselor in health and pharmaceuticals and has frequently delivered speeches on women’s health care," Jennifer Medina wrote August 14, 2006, in the New York Times.

Hadassah Lieberman "developed an Advisory Network for Women's Health whose Sister to Sister Network promotes awareness and prevention of heart disease (1998-2000). She has also worked at HFL & Associates (1997-98); APCO Associates (1993-97); the National Research Council (1990-93); Pfizer Pharmaceuticals (1982-85); Hoffmann-La Roche (1972-81); and Lehman Brothers (1971-72)," according to an American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) interview published July 10, 2001, in the Washington Post.

Lieberman was Senior Program Officer at the National Research Council (1990-1993); Director of Policy, Planning and Communications at Pfizer (1982-1985); and a Research Analyst at Lehman Brothers (1971-1972), according to NNDB.com. 

"Lieberman's community involvement includes serving on the Boards of Directors of Best Friends, Meridian House and the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation; and chairing the Multiple Sclerosis Society's Ambassadors Ball. She was a member of the U.S. delegation commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz, and has participated in international forums on environmental and socioeconomic issues in Eastern Europe," ACLI wrote in July 2001.

Her husband, Joe Lieberman, first elected to the Senate in 1988, is most well-known as Al Gore's running mate in 2000 and as a 2004 presidential candidate.

Controversy
"When a senator’s wife works for one of the capital’s largest lobby shops, appearances tend to matter. In this case, something happened immediately that didn’t look very good," Joe Conason wrote July 12, 2006, in Truthdig.

"Lieberman signed up with Hill & Knowlton in March 2005. The firm’s clients included GlaxoSmithKline, the British pharmaceutical giant that manufactures flu vaccines along with many other drugs. In April 2005, Sen. Lieberman introduced a bill that would award an array of new government 'incentives' to companies like GSK to produce more vaccines—notably patent extensions on other products, at a cost of billions to governments and consumers.

"That legislation provoked irritated comment by his hometown newspaper, the New Haven Register. In an editorial headlined 'Lieberman Crafts Drug Company Perk,' the Register noted that his bill was even more generous to the pharmaceutical industry than a similar proposal by the Senate Republican leadership. 'The government can offer incentives and guarantees for needed public health measures,' said the editorial. 'But it should not write a blank check, as these bills do, to the pharmaceutical industry that has such a large cost to the public with what may be an uncertain or dubious return.'

"No doubt Lieberman would do the bidding of the pharmaceutical lobby whether his wife was on its payroll or not, but this kind of coincidence is best avoided by a man who lectures the world about morality and ethics," Conason wrote.

"The senator has demanded that Ned Lamont, his challenger in next month’s Democratic primary, release his income tax returns, which must mean that he plans to do likewise. His latest financial disclosure lists Mrs. Lieberman’s compensation from Hill & Knowlton only as 'more than $1000.' Presumably his tax returns will show how much more—and measure his distance from the people he represents."

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Wexler and Walker Public Policy Associates

Profiles

 * Profile: Hadassah Lieberman AKA Hadassah Freilich, NNDB.com.
 * Speaker's Profile: Hadassah Lieberman, Harry Walker Agency.
 * Hadassah Lieberman in the Wikipedia.

2000 To 2005

 * Julie Weiner, "Hadassah Lieberman known for hard work," Jewish News of Greater Phoenix (AZ), August 11, 2000.
 * Mona Charen, "Working Families and Other Myths," Townhall.com, August 18, 2000.
 * Magnus Bennett, "Hadassah Lieberman's family history disputed," Jewish Telegraphic Agency, September 1, 2000.
 * "Insiders' Insights With Hadassah Lieberman," ACLI Viewpoint/Washington Post, July 10, 2001.
 * "Hill & Knowlton," Campaigns & Elections (FindArticles.com), May 2005.
 * "Message-makers: Washington's public affairs, public relations firms," The Hill, May 11, 2005.

2006

 * Joe Conason, "Sen. Lieberman Literally in Bed With Drug Lobby," Truthdig, July 12, 2006; The New York Observer, July 17, 2006.
 * Kevin Rennie, "Revelations Could Roil Senate Race," Hartford Courant (CT), July 23, 2006.
 * David Sirota, "From his glass house Lieberman attacks Lamont's wife," Sirotablog, July 31, 2006.
 * Glenn M. Shafer, "Hadassah Lieberman stumps for her husband in West Hartford," WestHartfordNews.com (CT), August 3, 2006.
 * Jennifer Medina, "Lieberman's Closest Adviser," New York Times, August 14, 2006.
 * "Hadassah Lieberman: Helpmate, Advisor, Stereotype," Wonkette!, August 14, 2006.
 * Don Michak, "Former job of Lieberman's wife a campaign issue", Journal Inquirer (Connecticut), August 30, 2006.