New York Post

Donovan got 10G from Oxy honchos

- Melissa Klein

Rep. Dan Donovan of Staten Island, who has touted his tough stance on fighting the opioid epidemic, has taken nearly $10,000 in campaign cash from two execs tied to the drugmaker blamed for starting the crisis.

Michael Friedman, a former head of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, donated $1,500 to the Republican in April as he faced a primary challenge from former Rep. Michael Grimm.

Philip Strassburg­er, a senior VP at Purdue, kicked in $2,700 in March. He also donated $5,400 in 2016.

Donovan (above), who was Staten Island’s DA for 11 years, represents the borough and part of Brooklyn, a district hard hit by opioid abuse. He faces Democrat Max Rose in November.

In June, Donovan voted for 35 bills on drug-abuse prevention and treatment.

OxyContin has been blamed for igniting the nation’s opioid epidemic.

Purdue has faced numerous suits over the drug, including a claim last month by state Attorney General Barbara Underwood, who accused the company of “exploiting our communitie­s.”

In 2007, Friedman and two other Purdue execs pleaded guilty to a misbrandin­g charge over its promotion of OxyContin. They were fined a total of $34.5 million.

Friedman resigned. Documents filed with the Federal Election Commission show he listed himself as “retired.”

A Donovan spokeswoma­n said he was unaware of the donors’ ties but would give the funds to YMCA Counseling Services and the Camelot drug-counseling center on Staten Island.

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