Governor, lawmakers weigh in on opioid judgment

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) – Oklahoma’s governor and Republican legislative leaders are telling the judge who ordered a drugmaker to pay $572 million to help clean up the state’s opioid crisis that the company should be responsible for additional payments if more money is needed to fully abate the problem.
Gov. Kevin Stitt, Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat and House Speaker Charles McCall filed a brief in the case on Monday.
Following a trial this summer, District Judge Thad Balkman ordered consumer products giant Johnson & Johnson to pay $572 million to help abate the state’s opioid crisis. The judge has since indicated there was a miscalculation and that he plans to reduce that amount by at least $107 million. The judge’s final order in the case has not been issued.