I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. WELCOME TO MATTER OF FACT, TODAY’S SHOW IS ALL ABOUT COMING TOGETHER, TAKING DOWN THE TONE OF POLITICAL RHETORIC AND THE IMPLICATIONS IF YOU DON’T BE IT WORKING ACROSS THE POLITICAL AISLE OR FORGING AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP, A FRIENDSHIP LIKE THAT OF DANA MARSH, A FORMER POLICE OFFICER, AND DARRYL JONES, THE MAN HE ARRESTED THERE WAS NO WAY THAT I WOULD EXPECT A WHITE POLICE OFFICER TO GET INVESTED IN MY LIFE. GLAD TO CALL YOU MY FRIEND. HOW THE DECADES LONG BOND HAS TRANSFORMED BOTH THEIR LIVES AND STATE LEADERS ARE TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS ISSUES FACING AMERICANS WITHOUT GETTING BOGGED DOWN BY POLITICAL DIVISIONS. WE CAN’T SOLVE PROBLEMS IF WE ALL HATE EACH OTHER. I TALKED TO GOVERNOR SPENCER COX ABOUT HOW HIS DISAGREE BETTER INITIATIVE WORKS AND WHAT WE COULD ALL LEARN FROM IT. PLUS, SWATTING CALLS ARE DANGEROUS AND SCARY, AND THEY’RE HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. IT REALLY DID TERRIFY ME. I JUST HEARD MY WIFE START SCREAMING. THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS WHO FOUND THEMSELVES SURROUNDED BY POLICE WITH GUNS DRAWN AND ARE NOW WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING TO OTHERS. THOSE STORIES RIGHT NOW, ON MATTER OF FACT, IT’S A STORY THAT STARTS WITH A CALL TO THE POLICE. DANA MARSH, A YOUNG OFFICER, RESPONDS TO THE SCENE OF A DRUG DEAL AND ARRESTS A SUSPECT. DARRYL JONES. WHILE NEITHER MAN KNEW IT AT THE TIME, IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING REMARKABLE A BOND THAT WITHSTOOD A MURDER TRIAL, PRISON TIME AND NEARLY THREE DECADES. OUR CORRESPONDENT JESSICA GOMEZ HAS THEIR STORY OF FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT. I KIND OF GREW UP IN THE LEAVE IT TO BEAVER FAMILY. THE WHITE PICKET FENCE AND AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE GREAT PARENTS. SO I CAME FROM A LEGACY OF MURDERERS, UH, IN MY FAMILY, ADDICTION, UH, ALCOHOLISM, PHYSICAL ABUSE, SEXUAL ABUSE. YOU SCARED ALL THE TIME. THE STORY OF DANA MARSH AND DARRYL JONES BEGINS HERE AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX JUST OUTSIDE OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA. I USED TO DEAL DRUGS RIGHT HERE, DANA. THEN A POLICE OFFICER WITH JUST ONE YEAR ON THE JOB ARRESTED DARRYL FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT. THE 24 YEAR OLD, A DRUG DEALER AND ADDICT WITH A LONG RAP SHEET. AFTER THAT, DANA WOULD SEE ME ON THE STREET. I’D BE SELLING DRUGS OR BUYING DRUGS, MAYBE, AND HE WOULD STOP THE CAR, HIT THE LIGHTS AND PAT ME DOWN AND THEN START TALKING TO ME ABOUT CHANGING MY LIFE. I SAW SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN HIM. I CAN’T EXPLAIN IT. DON’T KNOW WHY JOELLE EVENTUALLY ACCEPTING THE POLICE OFFICER’S HELP, HE LEFT FOR HIS HOMETOWN OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, WITH A BUS TICKET. DANA BOUGHT HIM. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BACKYARD. YOU WOULD COME IN FRONT OF THE BACKYARD DIRECTLY INTO THE KITCHEN. BUT IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR DARRYL’S TROUBLED PAST TO CATCH UP WITH HIM STAYING IN HIS GREAT GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE TO TODAY AN EMPTY LOT. HE HAD A CONFLICT WITH HER HUSBAND AND STABBED HIM TO DEATH. IT WAS SURREAL. I FELT LIKE I COULDN’T BELIEVE I HAD DONE THIS AND, UM, I STOOD, I SAT THERE SHAKING AND THEN I BASICALLY MADE A DECISION. I WAS GOING TO TURN MYSELF IN, AND I CALLED DANA AND TOLD HIM THAT I HAD JUST KILLED A MAN. HE SAID, UH, I GOT TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY. UH, THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN DO TO CHANGE MY LIFE. DESPITE DANA TESTIFYING ON HIS BEHALF, DARRYL WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON. HE WAS GOING THROUGH A LOT OF REMORSE, BUT HE ALSO HAD REALIZED THAT THE ONLY WAY THAT HE COULD MAKE HIS LIFE WORTH SOMETHING IS HELPING THOSE THAT WERE COMING IN THAT WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK OUT, MOVING THROUGH PRISONS IN FOUR STATES. THAT’S WHAT JOELLE DID, TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY CLASSES, STUDYING PSYCHOLOGY AND COUNSELING. OTHER INMATES FROM THE OUTSIDE. DANA BUSY WITH A YOUNG FAMILY, CONTINUED TO SUPPORT HIM. HE VISITED, SENT MONEY, WENT TO MY MY HEARINGS, WHATEVER HE COULD DO, HE DID. YOU KNOW, HE TREATED ME LIKE A BROTHER. AFTER 20 YEARS BEHIND BARS, DARRYL’S IMPACT ON OTHERS EARNING HIM HIS RELEASE. NOBODY HAD EVER TALKED TO Y’ALL LIKE THAT BEFORE. TODAY, THAT WORK CONTINUES MENTORING LOCAL TEENAGERS, TEACHING THINGS LIKE LANDSCAPING AND LIFE LESSONS. ONCE HE LEARNED THE HARD WAY WHEN I SAY ACCOUNTABILITY, WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND? I TELL THEM THAT THEY CAN BE A PROMISE OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT INSTEAD OF A PRODUCT. WORDS ARE SPIRIT AND WORDS ARE LIFE. JEWELS PROMISE HELPING NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THE ONE IN WHICH HE GREW UP HEAL HIS WORK AS A COMMUNITY LEADER. NOW ATTRACTING THE ATTENTION OF BIRMINGHAM’S TOP COPS AND PROSECUTORS. AND ALWAYS THERE, HIS FRIEND DANA MARSH. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL A YOUNG POLICE OFFICER WHO MIGHT BE ENCOUNTERING THE SAME SITUATION TODAY? YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE COMPASSION. UH, IF WE DON’T, THINGS WON’T CHANGE. WE LEARN THAT FROM EACH OTHER, THEN. YEAH, BECAUSE HIS COMPASSION TOWARDS ME TRANSLATED TO MY COMPASSION TOWARDS OTHERS. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE FOOD WE’RE ABOUT TO RECEIVE. I WAS A VIOLENT CRIMINAL. AND TO THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS IS WHAT REDEMPTION LOOKS LIKE. YOU KNOW, SITTING AT THE TABLE WITH THE THE ACTUAL POLICE OFFICER THAT ARRESTED YOU. MIRACLES ARE REAL. AND SO TOAST TO MIRACLES. GLAD TO CALL YOU MY FRIEND. THANK YOU. SIR. IN FAYETTEVILLE, GEORGIA. FOR MATTER OF FACT, I’M JESSICA GOMEZ. THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF PAROLE PARDONED GERALD JONES, CLEARING HIS RECORD. NEXT ON MATTER OF FACT, WE CERTAINLY DIDN’T WANT IT TO JUST BE ANOTHER CIVILITY OR NICENESS INITIATIVE. A CONVERSATION WITH THE MAN HELPING OUR GOVERNORS MOVE BEYOND POLITICAL DIFFERENCES. PLUS, SHE’S A DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR. I GO OUT WITH MY HANDS UP AND HE’S A REPUBLICAN. POLICE WERE RUNNING UP OUR STEPS. THEY SHARE THE TERRIFYING EVENT THAT BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER TO CRAFT A NEW LAW, AND A LOOK AT HOW HIGH PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES ARE ACTUALLY UNIFYING, DIVIDED LEGISLATURES. YOU’RE WATCHING, MATTER OF FACT, AMERICA’S NUMBER ONE NATIONALLY SYNDICATED PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWS MAGAZINE. WELCOME BACK TO MATTER OF FACT. LISTEN TO THIS STATEMENT. REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ARE MORE FOCUSED ON FIGHTING EACH OTHER THAN ON SOLVING PROBLEMS THAT STATEMENT WAS INCLUDED IN A SURVEY BY PEW RESEARCH CENTER. AND AN ASTOUNDING 86% OF RESPONDENTS SAID THAT WAS A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN POLITICS. SO HOW DO WE BRIDGE THE DIVIDE THAT’S BEEN ON UTAH GOVERNOR SPENCER COX MIND? HE LEADS THE NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION, A GROUP OF STATE LEADERS FROM ALL PARTIES. COX LAUNCHED THE DISAGREE BETTER INITIATIVE AND JOIN ME THIS SPRING TO TALK ABOUT HOW IT WORKS. GOVERNOR COX, VERY NICE TO HAVE. HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM? I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. LET’S BEGIN WITH THE REASON WHY YOU DECIDED TO LAUNCH A DISAGREE BETTER. WE WERE LOOKING AT THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS FACING OUR NATION THE ENERGY PRICES, HEALTH CARE, ALL OF THESE, THESE, THESE THINGS THAT MATTER TO TO AMERICANS. BUT IT JUST DAWNED ON US THAT WE WE CAN’T SOLVE ANY OF THOSE PROBLEMS IF WE ALL HATE EACH OTHER. WE’RE SADLY SEEING A CONGRESS THAT IS VERY DYSFUNCTIONAL AND AND SO WE WONDERED IF THERE WAS A BETTER WAY TO DO THIS. WHAT IS IT SPECIFICALLY ENTAIL? WE CERTAINLY DIDN’T WANT IT TO JUST BE ANOTHER CIVILITY OR NICENESS INITIATIVE. THIS IS SOMETHING MORE AND IT’S VERY INFLUENCED BY BY ACTUAL RESEARCH. WE’VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEPOLARIZATION LAB AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY, DARTMOUTH HAS HAS A LAB THAT IS WORKING ON THIS AS WELL. DUKE AND OTHERS, AND EXPERIMENTS THAT THEY’VE RUN TO SHOW HOW WE CAN HELP DEPOLARIZE AS A SOCIETY. WE HAD AN AD THAT I FILMED WITH MY DEMOCRATIC OPPONENT WHEN I RAN IN 2020. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE FINAL DAYS OF CAMPAIGNING AGAINST EACH OTHER ABOUT HOW WE COULD WE WE DISAGREE ON LOTS OF THINGS, BUT WE CAN WE CAN STILL WE STILL LOVE OUR COUNTRY. WE LOVE OUR STATE THAT WAS ONE OF THE EXPERIMENTS THAT STANFORD RAN AND FOUND THAT IT HAD A MEASURABLE DEPOLARIZATION EFFECT, INCLUDING A REDUCTION IN URGES TOWARDS VIOLENCE AND SO TAKING THAT RESEARCH, WE’VE ASKED OUR FELLOW GOVERNORS TO DO THE SAME THING. SO THERE SEEMED TO BE MANY A LOT OF PROBLEMS LIKE IMMIGRATION, RIGHT? ONE GOVERNOR DROPS A BUNCH OF UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE INTO ANOTHER GOVERNOR’S STATE AT GREAT EXPENSE. LIKE, I COULD SEE GOVERNORS NOW, YOU KNOW, FEELING A CERTAIN WAY ABOUT THAT, THAT IT’S IT’S A FIGHT. SURE. POLITICS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FIGHT, BUT BUT HOW WE FIGHT AND THE WAY WE FIGHT. ABSOLUTELY MATTERS. SOMETIMES WE DO PASSIONATELY DISAGREE WITH EACH OTHER. I THINK PROCESS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. OUR COUNTRY WASN’T WASN’T FOUNDED OR SET UP FOR HYPERPOLARIZATION, BUT IT WAS SET UP FOR POLARIZATION. IT WAS DESIGNED TO HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO DISAGREE. IN FACT, OUR NATION WAS FOUNDED BY IN PROFOUND DISAGREEMENT, THE YOU KNOW, THE CONSTITUTION WAS WAS CALLED THE GREAT COMPROMISE. THIS, THIS THE WAY WE WE COME TOGETHER AND WE SET UP THESE INSTITUTIONS TO ALLOW FOR PARTICIPATION. SOMETIMES YOU WIN AND SOMETIMES YOU LOSE, BUT PEOPLE HAVE TO FEEL LIKE THE GAME IS FAIR. WHEN WE START, WHEN WE START CUTTING CORNERS AND NOT FOLLOWING PROCEDURE, WHEN WE DON’T FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION, THAT’S WHEN PEOPLE START TO THINK, OKAY, IT’S NOT A FAIR FIGHT. SO I’M WILLING TO DO ANYTHING I NEED TO TO IF THE OTHER SIDE IS WILLING TO UNDERMINE THE CONSTITUTION AND THROW IT OUT, THEN, WELL, MY SIDE HAS TO DO THAT TOO. AND I THINK THAT’S WHERE IT GETS DANGEROUS. IT ALSO SEEMS LIKE WE’RE IN A TIME OF MISINFORMATION. DISINFORMATION, DEEP FAKES, JUST FULL ON LYING. HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE REALISTICALLY NAVIGATE THAT, THAT ENVIRONMENT? WE’VE ALWAYS HAD POLITICIANS THAT HAVE USED FEAR AND DIVISIVENESS AND LIES AND MISINFORMATION TO TRY TO GAIN POWER AND TO TEAR THE OTHER SIDE DOWN. THAT IS NOT NEW. WHAT I’M TRYING TO DO IS, IS TO ENCOURAGE OTHER GOVERNORS AND OTHER POLITICIANS IN THIS COUNTRY TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT, THAT IT’S ACTUALLY IT’S NOT JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO, ALTHOUGH IT IS. IT’S GOOD POLITICS. YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET ELECTED BY BY TELLING THE TRUTH AND TREATING OTHERS WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. SPENCER COX IS THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF UTAH. THANK YOU, SIR, FOR JOINING ME. APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. COMING UP, NOT ONLY ARE SWATTING CALLS DANGEROUS, THEY’RE EXPENSIVE. IT COULD CAUSE INTO THE THOUSANDS THE STRAIN FAKE CALLS PUT ON FIRST RESPONDERS AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES. PLUS, WHEN YOU’RE PRESCRIBED A MEDICATION BY THE DOCTOR, THERE’S A MIDDLEMAN NEGOTIATING HOW MUCH YOU’LL PAY. WE EXPLAIN HOW PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS WORK AND WHY SOME STATES ARE LOOKING TO REGULATE THEM. IN GEORGIA, LAWMAKERS CAME TOGETHER ACROSS THE AISLE TO PASS A NEW LAW CRACKING DOWN ON SWATTING CALLS. SWATTING IS WHEN SOMEONE CALLS THE POLICE CLAIMING VIOLENCE LIKE AN ACTIVE ATTACKER, AND THAT CALL SENDS LAW ENFORCEMENT RUSHING INTO ACTION. BUT IT’S COMPLETELY FALSE. AND THAT MEANS AN UNSUSPECTING PERSON IS SURPRISED WITH AN INTENSE POLICE RESPONSE. NOW, THESE CALLS AREN’T NEW, BUT THEY’RE HAPPENING MORE OFTEN. AND NOW, IN GEORGIA, THE CALLS ARE A FELONY. OUR CORRESPONDENT DAN LIEBERMAN TRAVELED TO ATLANTA EARLIER THIS YEAR AS LAWMAKERS WORKED TO STRENGTHEN THE PENALTIES FOR SWATTING. I OPENED MY FRONT DOOR AND I GO OUT WITH MY HANDS UP AND I CAN SEE THERE ARE THREE POLICE OFFICERS WITH GUNS DRAWN, POINTED AT ME, AND I JUST HEARD MY WIFE START SCREAMING THAT POLICE WERE RUNNING UP OUR STEPS. GEORGIA STATE SENATORS CLINT DIXON AND KIMBERLY JACKSON ARE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, BUT ARE UNITED BY A SHARED EXPERIENCE THEY BOTH GOT A SURPRISE VISIT FROM POLICE OVER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. IT HAPPENED ON CHRISTMAS DAY. UH, MY WIFE WAS UPSTAIRS PACKING THE KIDS WERE PLAYING WITH THEIR TOYS. I HEARD THE KIND OF POLICE KNOCK, AND THEN I KIND OF QUICKLY LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND I SAW ALL OF THESE POLICE CARS JUST LINED UP. MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER WAS IN TEARS. MY WIFE WAS VERY FRANTIC. DIXON, A REPUBLICAN, MARRIED WITH THREE KIDS IN JACKSON, A DEMOCRAT, MARRIED WITH A TWO YEAR OLD SON, WERE BOTH VICTIMS OF SWATTING A FORM OF HARASSMENT WHERE AN ANONYMOUS 911 CALLER TRICKS POLICE INTO SENDING A SWAT TEAM TO SOMEONE’S HOME WHEN THERE’S NO EMERGENCY. I’D HEARD ABOUT A FEDERAL POLITICIANS, YOU KNOW THAT HAD BEEN SWATTED. I’D NEVER, NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD UNTIL UNTIL IT REALLY HAPPENED TO ME AND MY FAMILY. DIXON AND JACKSON WERE AMONG AT LEAST SEVEN GEORGIA LAWMAKERS WHO WERE SWATTED OVER THE HOLIDAY SEASON. THE WAVE OF INCIDENTS IS PART OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE A RISE IN FRAUDULENT 911 CALLS TARGETING PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND CELEBRITIES. WE’RE JUST GOING TO EMERGENCY. WE HANDLE IT LIKE WE WOULD ANY OTHER CALL. GENERALLY, THAT’S ABOUT MAYBE 30, 40 OFFICERS THAT HAVE TO COME OUT NOT TO MENTION THE OFFICERS THAT WE NEED TO EVACUATE THE AREA. CHIEF MIRTHA RAMOS LEADS THE DEKALB COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH RESPONDED TO THE 911 CALL TO SENATOR JACKSON’S HOUSE. IN TERMS OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, WHAT DOES IT COST TAXPAYERS TO RESPOND TO A SWATTING CALL LIKE THE KIND THAT WE SAW AT SENATOR JACKSON’S HOUSE? IT COULD COST INTO THE THOUSANDS, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF RESOURCES THAT YOU’RE GOING TO UTILIZE. BUT IT COULD BE A SITUATION WHERE WE COULD BE OUT THERE FOR HOURS. SO YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT RESOURCES THAT ARE OFF THE STREET THAT ARE NOT TAKING CARE OF THEIR DAY TO DAY RESPONSIBILITIES, POTENTIALLY PEOPLE THAT ARE ON OVERTIME. SO ALL OF THAT ADDS UP. IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT USUALLY OCCUR IN SWATTING, THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT IT’S A LOT MORE SERIOUS THAN A MISDEMEANOR. LAUREN SHAPIRO IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT JOHN JAY COLLEGE’S DEPARTMENT OF SECURITY, FIRE AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. 911 FALSE CALLS HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONSIDERED TO BE A LOW LEVEL TYPE OF CRIME, IN THE SAME WAY THAT IS YOUR REFRIGERATOR RUNNING. YES IT IS. GO CHASE IT. THAT LEVEL. BUT IN REALITY, IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS, SOMEONE ENTERS YOUR HOME AND THROWS YOU TO THE GROUND AND ACCUSES YOU OF A CRIME. THAT’S A FELONY BECAUSE EVERYTHING THERE PUTS PEOPLE IN DANGER FOR THEIR LIVES. LUCKILY FOR SENATOR JACKSON, EVERYTHING TURNED OUT OKAY. BUT LISTENING TO THE 911 CALL LEAVES HER SHAKEN. MY NAME IS JAMAL, AND, UH, I JUST, UH, STABBED MY LIFE AND DEATH. THOSE POLICE OFFICERS HAD THEIR GUNS DRAWN BECAUSE THEY EXPECTED SOMEBODY TO COME OUT WITH A GUN. I THINK WHAT IFS ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THIS COULD HAVE GONE WRONG, IT REALLY DID TERRIFY ME. DID IT EVER CROSS YOUR MIND AFTER YOU GOT SWATTED? MAYBE I SHOULDN’T DO THIS ANYMORE. IT’S NOT WORTH IT. NO. UH, AND I COULD SEE THAT HAPPENING TO SOME LEGISLATORS. WHEN IT STARTS AFFECTING YOUR FAMILY. YOU KNOW, MY THREE YOUNG KIDS THAT THAT CAN MAKE YOU THINK TWICE FOR ME. YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THE LORD’S CALLED ME TO BE HERE FOR A PURPOSE, AND I’M GOING TO SEE THAT THROUGH. FOR MATTER OF FACT, I’M DAN LIEBERMAN IN ATLANTA AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, THE EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO HELP YOU PAY LESS AT THE PHARMACY PLUS HOW THESE TWIN SISTERS SPUN AN ART PROJECT THAT HAS GONE GLOBAL TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH. MATTER OF FACT, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT MATTEROFFACTTV. WELCOME BACK TO MATTER OF FACT REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT LED STATES SHARE SOME COMMON GROUND ABOUT PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICING. AT LEAST 41 STATE LEGISLATURES HAVE PROPOSED BILLS TO CRACK DOWN ON PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS OR PBMS. THOSE ARE THIRD PARTIES THAT DETERMINE HOW MUCH INSURERS PAY PHARMACIES FOR DISPENSING DRUGS TO PATIENTS. TO DO THAT, PBMS NEGOTIATE DISCOUNTS OR REBATES WITH DRUG MANUFACTURERS. THE THING IS, ABOUT 80% OF THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG MARKET IS CONTROLLED BY JUST THREE OF THEM, LEAVING VERY LITTLE COMPETITION. CRITICS SAY. PBMS ARTIFICIALLY INFLATE DRUG PRICES AND THEN POCKET THE DIFFERENCE OF WHAT INSURERS PAY AND WHAT PHARMACIES RECEIVE. IT’S CALLED SPREAD PRICING 13 STATES HAVE ALREADY SIGNED REFORMS THAT BAN THE PRACTICE, AND MEANWHILE, SOME STATES ARE TRYING TO EXPAND A FEDERAL DRUG DISCOUNT PROGRAM. WEST VIRGINIA IS THE THIRD STATE TO REQUIRE DRUG MAKERS TO OFFER LOW COST MEDICATIONS TO PHARMACIES NOT IN THE PROGRAM. ARKANSAS AND LOUISIANA DID THE SAME IN RECENT YEARS. BOTH STATES WERE SUED OVER THEIR EXPANSION, BUT THE PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH AND MANUFACTURERS OF AMERICA LOST THE FIGHT IN ARKANSAS. AND JUST LAST WEEK, THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION RELEASED A REPORT CRITICIZING PBMS. SO SOME HOPE THAT REPORT’S GOING TO LEAD TO LEGISLATIVE ACTION IN CONGRESS. STILL AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MUSEUM DISPLAY. WE FOCUS ON A GLOBAL EFFORT TO RAISE CLIMATE AWARENESS WITH A FINALLY, WE TAKE A LOOK AT AN EFFORT TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING THAT’S NOW BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AROUND THE WORLD. IT’S AN ART EXHIBIT THAT’S RESTORING CORAL REEFS TO THEIR FORMER GLORY. AT LEAST CONCEPTUALLY. IT’S CALLED THE CROCHET CORAL REEF PROJECT. CHECK OUT THESE PHOTOS FROM ONE OF ITS ONGOING EXHIBITS AT THE CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART IN PITTSBURGH. THESE CROCHETED SCULPTURES HIGHLIGHT WHAT MUCH OF THE WORLD’S CORAL REEFS USED TO LOOK LIKE VIBRANT, FULL OF COLOR TWIN SISTERS CHRISTINE AND MARGARET WERTHEIM ARE THE ARTISTS BEHIND THE PROJECT. THEY LAUNCHED IT 18 YEARS AGO TO BRING ATTENTION TO REEFS DYING DUE TO GLOBAL WARMING. WELL, NOW NEARLY 25,000 VOLUNTEERS ACROSS THE WORLD HAVE JOINED IN. THEY SOMETIMES WEAVE IN TRASH AND PLASTICS TO REFLECT THE HARMFUL WASTE THAT’S IN THE OCEAN. TO DATE, THERE HAVE BEEN 52 SATELLITE REEF EXHIBITS IN CITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE, INCLUDING NEW YORK, CHICAGO, NOW PITTSBURGH. IF YOU WANT TO CHECK IT OUT IN PERSON, CLEARLY IT’S AN ART PROJECT THAT’S CONNECTING PEOPLE AROUND A SHARED CONCERN. THAT’S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF MATTER OF FACT, I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. I’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK TO WATCH MORE STORIES LIKE THIS. ANY TIME, HEAD TO MATTEROFFACTTV.