Group Urges Manchin to Vote ‘No’ on Vanita Gupta Citing Ties to Company Accused of Enabling Mexican Cartel Heroin Manufacturing

The Judicial Crisis Network is urging Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) to vote “no” on President Biden’s Associate Attorney General nominee Vanita Gupta, pointing to her stake in a company accused of producing and selling a key ingredient used to make China White heroine to Mexican drug cartels.

“We see drug overdoses, death. Vanita Gupta? She saw money, profit,” the narrator states in the ad. “Gupta has tens of millions invested in a company that made the hidden ingredient in heroin: The China White heroin that kills. It’s so despicable.”

“Reports say that even Mexico is investigating the company Gupta has a stake in. We [West Virginia] lead the nation in drug overdoses, and it’s made Vanita Gupta rich,” the narrator continues, urging voters to tell Manchin that the choice is between Vanita Gupta or West Virginia:

“Vanita Gupta owns between $11 and $55 million dollars in stock in Avantor, a company that manufactures an essential ingredient used to make heroin and meth,” JCN president Carrie Severino said alongside a video of the ad posted to social media. “Gupta’s father is also the chairman of the board of Avantor.”

Severino cited a Bloomberg investigation, reporting that Avantor “produces and sells a key ingredient in Mexico known as acetic anhydride that Mexican drug cartels have used to mass produce high-grade, ‘China white’ heroin and meth,” noting the impact these drugs have had on West Virginians.

“Between 2010 and 2018, an estimated 142,000 West Virginians died from overdoses. West Virginia suffers the highest overdose death rate of any state, and recently has been coping with an influx of heroin,” she said, identifying Gupta’s history of “drug-legalization extremism” as a “non-starter”:

My organization is running a new ad urging @Sen_JoeManchin to vote NO on Vanita Gupta, citing her massive stake in a company that manufactures a key ingredient in the production of high-grade, China White heroin. /1 pic.twitter.com/RjE2O9jr1f

— Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) March 16, 2021

According to a Bloomberg investigation, Avantor produces and sells a key ingredient in Mexico known as acetic anhydride that Mexican drug cartels have used to mass produce high-grade, “China white” heroin and meth. /3https://t.co/RSt3P8gsRt

— Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) March 16, 2021

In 2012, Gupta wrote a shocking op-ed in the Huffington Post, arguing that “[s]tates should decriminalize simple possession of all drugs.” /5https://t.co/qV6UoRmTcl

— Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) March 16, 2021

For @Sen_JoeManchin, Gupta's history of drug-legalization extremism should be a non-starter. She's the wrong choice for associate attorney general. /7

— Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) March 16, 2021

Reports indicate that Gupta owns between $11 million and $55 million of stock in the company that reportedly sold acetic anhydride to Mexican cartels.

Raj Gupta, father of Vanita Gupta and chairman of a company named Avantor, has stopped selling “acetic anhydride in Mexico, as the country’s authorities announced a criminal investigation,” according to Fox Business.

Vanita Gupta has agreed not to engage with her father’s business.

Manchin on Monday indicated that he will likely vote to confirm Gupta.

“I have spoken to Merrick Garland — and he is very high on her. And I have all the respect in the world on his decision-making,” Manchin said. “I will be leaning towards because of his support.”