and they lied about it. >> reporter: in may, dewine sued purdue and four other drug companies. purdue recently tried to persuade dewine to drop ohio's lawsuit and negotiate instead. >> there's a lot at stake for them. and so they've been very aggressive. they've lawyered up. they have hired lobbyists. >> reporter: it's a high-stakes, behind-the-scenes campaign to try and reduce potential damages. donations from drug companies to political associations for state ags have risen in the past three years, totaling almost $700,000 to democrats and over $1.7 million to republicans. the contributions are le they allow companies to gain access to the ags at exclusive meetings, golf outings, and high-end dinners, where they can urge ags not to sue. >> i think it's very problematic. >> reporter: professor paul nolette is a state government expert. >> those under investigation, trying to influence the investigator by giving large amounts of money. they're not doing so out of the goodness of their heart or out of charity. >> reporter: opioid spent over $100,000 to partially sponsor this mee

and they lied about it. >> reporter: in may, dewine sued purdue and four other drug companies. purdue recently tried to persuade dewine to drop ohio's lawsuit and negotiate instead. >> there's a lot at stake for them. and so they've been very aggressive. they've lawyered up. they have hired lobbyists. >> reporter: it's a high-stakes, behind-the-scenes campaign to try and reduce potential damages. donations from drug companies to political associations for state a.g.s have risen in the past three years. totaling almost $700,000 to democrats and over $1.7 million to republicans. the contributions are legal, but they allow companies to gain access to the a.g.s at exclusive meetings, golf outings, and high-end dinners, where they can urge a.g.s not to sue. >> i think it's very problematic. >> reporter: professor paul nolette is a state government expert. >> nose under investigation, trying to influence the investigator by giving large amounts of money. they're not doing so out of the goodness of their heart or out of charity. >> reporter: opioid manufacturers and distributors spent

but ohio's attorney general, mike dewine, says the company continued deceptive marketing through 2014 back 20 years in ohio, you can see the number of pain meds prescribed in ohio start going up like that. >> reporter: last may, dewine sued purdue and four other pharmaceutical manufacturers. >> i would love for purdue pharma and other drug companies to follow me around, just one day, give me one day. i'll show you what you have done to the people in the state of ohio. >> reporter: purdue recently tried to persuade dewine to drop ohio's lawsuit and negotiate instead, writing, litigation takes years and the costs for both sides are significant. >> there's a lot at stake for them. and so they've been very aggressive. they've lawyered up. they have hired lobbyists. >> reporter: they've opened their war chests. donations from drug companies to political associations for state a gs have risen in the past three years totalling almost $700,000 to democrats and over $1.7 million to republicans. professor paul nuett studies state government. >> you have some of the very companies that have manu

corrected its marketing and pled guilty to misbranding in 2007, but ohio's attorney general mike dewinethe company continuedcontin continued deceptive marketing through 2014. >> go back 20 years in ohio, you can see the number of pain meds prescribed in ohio going up like that. >> reporter: last may, dewine sued purdue and other manufacturers. >> i would love purdue pharma and other drug companies to follow me around just one day. give me one day. i'll show you what you've done to people in the state of ohio. >> reporter: purdue recently tried to persuade dewine to drop ohio's lawsuit and negotiate instead. writing, litigation takes years and the costs for both sides are significant. >> there's a lot at stake for them. and so they've been very aggressive. they've lawyered up. they've hired lobbyists. >> reporter: they've opened their war chest. donations from drug companies to political associations for state ags have risen in the past three years. totaling almost $700,000 to democrats and over 1.7 million to republicans. professor paul nolette studies state governments. >> you have som

. >> last may dewine sued purdue and four other manufacturers. >> i would love for purdue pharma and other drug companies to follow me around just one day. give me one day. i'll shoal you what you have done to people in the state of ohio. >>> purdue recently tried to persuade dewine to drop the ohio lawsuit and negotiate instead writing litigation takes years and the costs for both sides are significant. >> there's a lot at stake for them, and so they've been very aggressive. they've lawyered up, they have hired lobbyists. >> and they've opened their war chest. donations from drug companies to political associations for state ags have risen in the past three years totally almost $700,000 to democrats and $1.7 million to republicans. >> so you have some of the very companies that have manufactured opioids are either under active investigation or potentially under investigation donating tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars to these ag organizations. >> the republican ag association told us they have an obligation to the people to hear from all sides. their democrati