Turnstile Effect: Deputy Chief of DEA Resigns Following Revelations of Prior Consultancy for Pharmaceutical Companies

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The Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Louis Milione, has discreetly resigned following investigative journalism by The Big Big News that unveiled his prior consulting roles for a sanctioned pharmaceutical distributor involved in questionable painkiller shipments. Notably, Milione also provided consultancy services for Purdue Pharma, the pharmaceutical company widely implicated in the opioid crisis.

Before his 2021 reappointment to the DEA, where he served under Administrator Anne Milgram, Milione spent four years consulting for these pharmaceutical companies. This history has rekindled longstanding apprehensions within the DEA and the broader public sphere regarding the problematic interchange of personnel between governmental bodies and industries they are meant to regulate, particularly given the DEA’s role in policing pharmaceutical companies implicated in the opioid crisis.

Jeff Hauser, the Executive Director of the Revolving Door Project, an organization monitoring corporate influence in the U.S. government, criticized the situation, stating, “Employment at Purdue Pharma should not serve as a stepping stone to a high-level government position. Excessive familiarity between regulators and industry is problematic; impartial judgment is compromised when one views past or prospective colleagues in a friendly light.”

Milione first exited the DEA in 2017, having served 21 years, including a role leading the division responsible for regulating the sale of highly addictive narcotics. Following his initial departure, Milione transitioned into consulting for companies he had previously regulated.

In May, The Associated Press reported that Milione had testified on behalf of Morris & Dickson, the nation’s fourth-largest drug distributor, during its legal battle to retain its license. Subsequent journalism revealed that Milione also worked as a $600-per-hour expert for Purdue Pharma. His second exit from the DEA came just four days after the Associated Press sought comments on his previous roles.

Milione issued a statement claiming that personal reasons, not related to media coverage, prompted his resignation. Both he and the Justice Department affirm that Milione recused himself from any DEA matters where a conflict of interest appeared plausible.

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley criticized the DEA’s avoidance of congressional oversight by employing Milione directly in a career role, instead of nominating him for a position that would require Senate confirmation. John Coleman, a former high-ranking DEA official, echoed these concerns, suggesting that Milione’s hiring represented a conspicuous and traditional conflict of interest.

The DEA and the Justice Department have not commented on these matters, although they stated that Milione disclosed potential conflicts upon his return.

Milione’s departure adds to the turbulence at the DEA’s senior levels, a situation that includes several high-level exits, ethical controversies, and federal investigations into contract awards. His exit also raises questions about the agency’s current operational effectiveness, especially given Administrator Anne Milgram’s frequent personnel changes since taking office two years ago.

Guidepost Solutions, the private investigative firm where Milione was a senior managing director, declined to comment on the issue. Purdue Pharma indicated that its engagement with Milione ceased when the company filed for bankruptcy protection in September 2019.

This unfolding situation invites further scrutiny into the DEA’s regulatory efficacy and challenges the organization’s capability to maintain an unbiased stance while executing its mission.

For further inquiries, contact AP’s global investigative team at [email protected].

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More about DEA Deputy Administrator Resignation

• DEA’s Mission and Responsibilities
• Purdue Pharma and the Opioid Crisis
• The Revolving Door Phenomenon in Politics
• The Role of Media in Political Accountability
• U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee
• Regulatory Conflicts of Interest
• DEA’s Office of Diversion Control
• Pharmaceutical Supply Chain and Regulation
• Opioid Overdose Deaths in America
• Guidepost Solutions Company Profile