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• Campaign Briefing THE CONVENTIONS: EMOCRATS REJECT TOBACCO MONEY 

Tobacco money is not welcome by the host committee that is raising $35 million for the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles next month. Noelia Rodriguez, chief executive of the committee, yesterday signed an agreement not to accept or solicit donations from any tobacco company or its subsidiaries. This comes at a time when the committee is still $3 million to $4 million short of its fund-raising target. "We look forward to showcasing Los Angeles as the largest smoke-free city in the nation," Ms. Rodriguez said.

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• Democratic Convention Shuns Tobacco 

The host committee for the Democratic National Convention is not accepting tobacco industry funds for the $35 million meeting, an official said Wednesday.

The policy is a first for any host of a political convention and has been in place since fund raising began 15 months ago, said Noelia Rodriguez, chief operating officer of LA Convention 2000, the nonpartisan group hosting the Aug. 14-17 event at the Staples Center.

``Los Angeles is a healthy city and we focus on the well-being of our community,'' she said. ``We're going to show that we are on the cutting edge of new policies and new decisions.''

The decision follows a policy of Vice President Al Gore, the expected Democratic presidential nominee, not to take campaign funds from tobacco interests. . .

Philadelphia 2000 co-chairman David Cohen . . . declined to comment on a Los Angeles Times report that Philip Morris Cos. Inc. had donated $250,000, and said it ``is hardly just a tobacco company.'' Philip Morris subsidiaries include Kraft Foods and Miller Brewing.

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Los Angeles is a healthy city and we focus on the well-being of our community. . . We're going to show that we are on the cutting edge of new policies and new decisions.
Noelia Rodriguez, chief operating officer of LA Convention 2000, the nonpartisan group hosting the Aug. 14-17 Democratic National Convention at the Staples Center. The DNC is not accepting tobacco industry funds. <I>Democratic Convention Shuns Tobacco</I>