Daily Doc: PM, Sep 28, 1993: Tommy Thompson & Philip Morris
Daily Doc: Tommy Thompson & Philip Morris
Title: PUBLIC AFFAIRS 940000 BUDGET PRESENTATION 940000
PM, Sep 28, 1993
Bates #: 2044712624/2687
January 3, 2000
The incoming president of the United States, George W. Bush, has nominated Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson to head the federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the agency which oversees many governmental health agencies that are responsible for tobacco control activities.
Governor Tommy Thompson has close ties to thePhilip Morris Tobacco Company (PM). So close, in fact, that PM has actually been directly involved in raising funds for Mr. Thompson, as reflected in the following passage from a 1994 internal Philip Morris strategy document:
"In 1993, raised money for:The document also identifies that detriment to PM profits is the major justification for PM's continuing to fight measures to restrict public smoking,
Governor Jim Edgar of Illinois
Mayor David Dinkins of NYC
Governor Tommy Thompson of WI
NY Senate Republican Campaign Committee
Coalition for Advancement of Sound Science Polytechnic Univeristy
International Tennis Hall of Fame
Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre
VA Gubernatorial candidate Mary Sue Terry CA Senate President David Roberti
National Smokers Alliance (in progress)"
"FAST FACTS:Furthermore, a quote shows us that PM curries favor with legislators by targeting its corporate grants to areas of "special interest to key elected officials." It also shows us how PMopportunistically creates public relations value for itself from natural disasters by ceremoniously presenting state governors with checks for disaster relief:
...Smoking restrictions have been estimated this year alone to have decreased PM profits by $40 million..."
"...Expand involvement of Corporate in making grants to public policy organizations and continue identifying grants that are special interest to key elected officials. Also take advantage of Disaster Relief Budget to involve governors in check presentations."A separate item (a letter) shows that Governor Thompson attended a PM Board of Directors dinner in 1992, and while there assured PM CEO (Michael Miles) that he would have direct access to the Governor for "items of mutual interest" http://www.pmdocs.com/getallimg.asp?DOCID=2023014313/4314
(We doubt such free access to the governor has been guaranteed to many "ordinary citizens" of Wisconsin!)
CITATION
Title: PUBLIC AFFAIRS 940000 BUDGET PRESENTATION 940000
Type of Document: Report, Graph, Table, Other
Author N/A (inferred corporate author, Philip Morris Tobacco Company)
Recipient: N/A
Date: 19930928
Site: Tobacco Documents Online http://www.tobaccodocuments.org/
Page Count 64
Bates No. 2044712624/2687
URL: http://www.tobaccodocuments.org/view.cfm?docid=2044712624/2687&source=SNAPPM&ShowImages=yes
Litigation Usage: None yet
Found Using Search Criteria: "BUDGET & THOMPSON,T" (on the PM site)
QUOTES
(From page 41 ofthe document):
Situation Analysis
Problem Statement:
Smoking restrictions passed at the state and local level limit the places and amount of time that consumers can enjoy our product.
SMOKING RESTRICTIONS
II. OBJECTIVE
To ensure that smokers can continue to smoke, work and live in America.
FAST FACTS:
...Smoking restrictions have been estimated this year alone to have decreased PM profits by $40 million. ...
...Goals for 1994:
Promote and pass preemption language in targeted states. Educate hospitality industry, business leaders..
STRATEGY
Create allies within business and consumer organizations for use by the field in support for or against legislation...
CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS
Community Relations
Issue grants that reinforce the company's image as a good corporate citizen in areas where we employ significant numbers of employees. Increasing use of budget to make grants that are of interest to key lawmakers in VA, KY, TN and NC in areas of the states beyond our immediate plant communities.
Expand involvement of Corporate in making grants to public policy organizations and continue identifying grants that are special interest to key elected officials. Also take advantage of Disaster Relief Budget to involve governors in check presentations.
In 1993, raised money for:
Governor Jim Edgar of Illinois
Mayor David Dinkins of NYC
Governor Tommy Thompson of WI
NY Senate Republican Campaign Committee
Coalition for Advancement of Sound Science Polytechnic University
International Tennis Hall of Fame
Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre
VA Gubernatorial candidate Mary Sue Terry CA Senate President David Roberti
National Smokers Alliance (in progress)
(color emphasis added)
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Anne Landman, Regional Program Coordinator
American Lung Association of Colorado, West Region Office
Grand Junction, CO
(970) 245-2120
afoxland@gj.net
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END OF DOCUMENT