OUT

Novartis Ditches Lawyer Who Helped Strike Deal With Michael Cohen

Trump’s lawyer signed $1.2m deal with pharma giant.

The lawyer who helped drug firm Novartis strike a $1.2 million deal with President Trump’s longtime attorney Michael Cohen will leave the company, it has been announced. General Counsel Felix Ehrat will leave the Swiss drugmaker over his role in the $100,000-per-month contract, saying Wednesday that the pact was legal, but a mistake. The contract was approved in early 2017 as part of the company’s efforts to learn more about the Trump administration’s health-care policies. In a company statement Wednesday, Ehrat said he signed the contract along with former Novartis Chief Executive Joe Jimenez, who stepped down in February. “Although the contract was legally in order, it was an error,” Ehrat said. “As a co-signatory with our former CEO, I take personal responsibility to bring the public debate on this matter to an end.”