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Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore rarely misses a chance to showcase himself, from appearing in the movie ''The Insider'' to making White House appearances to disparage the tobacco industry.
So why did he decide at the last minute to skip the Democratic National Convention? Moore said he was working on projects back home, though some wondered whether something else was behind his decision. . .
Musgrove downplayed their differences Thursday, saying, ''there's been no friction.''
Moore said that his decision to skip the convention was based on his workload, nothing else. He said he was focusing on his mentoring programs and new clubs for poor children.
''I would have loved to have been there,'' he said. "But by me not going, somebody else got to be a delegate."
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LOS ANGELES--In a split with the national party, Illinois state Democrats are taking money from a tobacco company to help underwrite costs of entertaining delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
Philip Morris--the parent of Kraft Foods, based in north suburban Glenview--is one of 17 corporate, union or political bankrollers for Illinois contingent parties.
"They offered to help participate in funding some of the activities related to the convention, and we did not turn anyone away," said Steve Brown, spokesman for Michael J. Madigan, the Illinois House speaker and chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party.
President Clinton has led an anti-tobacco crusade, and the Democratic platform has planks in it calling for increased efforts to reduce teen smoking.
The Los Angeles Host Committee is not accepting money from tobacco companies or their subsidies, and the Democratic National Committee has the same policy.
"`State parties are free to determine their own policies," said DNC spokesman Rick Hess.
Madigan, Brown and Tim Mapes, who is Madigan's top government and political aide, all said they had no idea how much money Morris was contributing.
Barred from the official sponsor status Philip Morris enjoyed at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, cigarette makers have joined other corporate sponsors who have given undisclosed and unregulated gifts to fund private parties for lawmakers at the Democrats' quadrennial convention.
"It doesn't seem to have altered the way we're doing business here," Philip Morris spokeswoman Peggy Roberts said.
Because the hundreds of parties and fund-raisers that revolve around the convention are not official events, the Democrats have technically kept their promise.
The gifts of food and drink are often mingled with gifts that require disclosure. Give a House member a check and it must be reported to the Federal Election Commission. Host a lavishly catered event where a senator can collect hundreds of checks and no government agency needs to know who paid for the party.
It doesn't seem to have altered the way we're doing business here. Philip Morris spokeswoman Peggy Roberts, on the DNC's ban on official tobacco sponsorship in L.A. Hendren, J., <I>Big Tobacco crashes the party by funding fetes</I>
Democrats, including some prominent members of the Illinois delegation, have been among the harshest critics of the tobacco giant and other cigarette companies, but Philip Morris was among the sponsors listed on a banner that hung behind speakers at the delegation's opening breakfast on Monday. That made some of them uncomfortable. "I've made it clear to the national and state leaders if it were my decision I would take all the tobacco money out of this convention," said Sen. Dick Durbin, a well-known anti-tobacco crusader. "I think these people should be out of the picture." Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Chicago said the Philip Morris sponsorship was "not necessarily a good idea, considering the impact, the role ... that tobacco has had in misleading the American people. It looks like politicians are on the side of big tobacco, which is not right." But Illinois Democratic Party Chairman Michael Madigan pointed out that Philip Morris makes more than just cigarettes. Along with Marlboros, it also churns out Maxwell House coffee, Jell-O and other food products. Its Kraft foods division is based in Northfield, Ill.
I have not received a contribution myself from Philip Morris. I do know that they have a number of other companies other than just tobacco. They have cookies. Some of us like cookies. We would accept contributions from the cookie dimension of Philip Morris, but not necessarily the tobacco. DNC Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Chicago. ECKERT, T., <I>Philip Morris a sponsor of Illinois' delegation</I>
One goodie conspicuously missing from the delegate welcome bags is a box of "limited-edition" Kraft Macaroni & Cheese in donkey and star shapes. Kraft Foods had handed out its elephants-and-stars version at the Republicans' convention in Philadelphia two weeks ago but had the door slammed here. Democrats have banned tobacco money from their convention, and Kraft is owned by Philip Morris. Kraft is distributing boxes at gatherings outside the convention. [This graph only]
The Democratic convention may not be taking tobacco money, but its delegates brought a lot of tobacco. Before Myra Friend-Ellis left Kentucky for the convention, she packed a supply of Barclays, made in Louisville, only to discover California law forbids her to smoke them in her hotel, in restaurants, even in the convention hall. Bob Turner, an Ohio alternate blowing his smoke out a Staples Center doorway, was philosophical about it. "At least the weather's better out here," he said. [This graph only]
If there were any doubt as to who was putting on the convention party Monday at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the hundreds of cigars lined up in wooden boxes labeled Skoal, Copenhagen and U.S. Tobacco might have provided a clue. . .
Washington's delegates to the Democratic National Convention are being treated this week to the kind of opulence usually reserved for elected officials, courtesy of Stimson Lane, which, along with with U.S. Tobacco, is a wholly owned subsidiary of UST Inc. . .
"It gave me some insight into how seductive corporate influence can be at the most basic level of good food and good drink," said Weisel, who had supported former Sen. Bill Bradley's failed presidential bid. "You can't help but remember who provided it."
It gave me some insight into how seductive corporate influence can be at the most basic level of good food and good drink. . . You can't help but remember who provided it.Harvey Weisel, a DNC delegate from Seattle, on Monday's UST bash. Silver, B., <I>Wining, Dining On Tobacco Company's Dime</I>
The 30 sponsors of a bash in this oceanside city thrown by the conservative House Democrats known as the Blue Dogs included a few unlikely names: the National Rifle Association, Philip Morris, U.S. Tobacco and the Cigar Association of America. . .
In addition, the law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand, which lobbies on behalf of Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds and U.S. Tobacco, is helping to finance the Democratic National Committee events for its biggest donors.
"In order to best represent our 55,000 employees in the United states and millions of shareholders, we really want to participate in the political process in a bipartisan fashion," Philip Morris spokeswoman Peggy Roberts said. "We are willing and eager to share ideas and to have a dialogue, even with public officials who may not see things our way."
In order to best represent our 55,000 employees in the United states and millions of shareholders, we really want to participate in the political process in a bipartisan fashion.Philip Morris spokeswoman Peggy Roberts. D. Salant, J., <I>Unlikely Sponsors Surface at DNC</I>
The Los Angeles host committee declined to accept money or services from tobacco companies and gun manufacturers, groups that are on the outs with Democrats on a policy level. Cigarettemaker Philip Morris was a sponsor of the Republican convention and contributed to the host committee for the 1996 Democratic convention in Chicago. The refusal of tobacco money also extended to subsidiaries of tobacco companies, such as Kraft Foods. [This graph only]
Why the generosity this campaign season?
Two reasons: the multibillion-dollar tobacco settlement has made a number of trial lawyers extremely wealthy, and George W. Bush is a champion of tort reform.
"The tobacco settlements have created a class of lawyers richer than any lawyers have dreamed of being in the history of the world," says the Manhattan Institute's Walter Olson. "They really have become an institutional ATM for the Democratic Party." . .
You watch: if Gore wins, America's blubberbutts will file a class action suit against the beer companies. The Dems should sew up the Homer Simpson vote nicely.
* I want to applaud the Democratic National Convention host committee's decision to turn away money from tobacco companies (July 6). While Philip Morris seems to be on my TV screen every night telling me how "good" it is because it gives to community organizations, it is comforting to know that the host committee has seen through the smoke screen.
Yes, tobacco industry, there is a price to pay for destroying so many lives.
I must be missing something here. How is it the Democrats feel taking money from the willing tobacco industry for their convention is wrong but taking money from L.A.'s underserved, overburdened taxpayers is just fine? What services will the city be denied for this moral grandstanding? [This graph only]
In addition, the Democratic organizers are declining donations from gun makers, foreign companies without U.S. subsidiaries and adult entertainment businesses, Austin said.
The Democrats accepted money from the tobacco companies in Chicago in 1996, but will not be accepting money for this summer's event, being held August 14 to 17. . .
Philip Morris Cos. Inc. is one hundreds of companies helping sponsor the Republican convention in Philadelphia this summer, being held July 31 to August 4.
"We have a clean and healthy lifestyle here in the City of Angels," said Noelia Rodriguez, CEO of LA Convention 2000, the host committee. "This sends a good message to the people of our city."
Republicans dismissed the announcement as political theatrics. The host committee for the Republican National Convention has no such ban on contributions from the tobacco industry. . .
"The smoke from the hypocrisy on this issue from the Democrats is so thick it must be stinging their eyes," said Mark Pfeifle, deputy communications director for the Republican National Committee. Pfeifle noted that some aides on the Gore campaign have worked for the tobacco industry in the past, and he pointed out that Gore's own family once grew tobacco on their farm in Tennessee. In earlier campaigns, Gore has also accepted donations from tobacco corporations.
The policy has been informally followed since the committee began soliciting support for the $35.3-million convention that begins Aug. 14. Now, with its fund-raising goal well in sight, convention organizers are touting the policy as an example of social responsibility.
"This is unprecedented," said Noelia Rodriguez, chief executive officer of LA Convention 2000. "It's very tempting to go after every last dollar you can get, but we believe it's more important to send a message."
The message, she said, is that Los Angeles cares about the well-being of its residents, especially young people. "You can be successful without having to be in partnership with companies that some say are harmful," Rodriguez said.
On Wednesday, she called a news conference to sign an agreement titled "A Public Promise From LA Convention 2000." It states that the host committee will not solicit or accept financial contributions, sponsorships or gifts from any tobacco company or subsidiary. . .
Rodriguez said the committee declined a contribution from Kraft Foods, a subsidiary of Philip Morris Cos.