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Tobacco Companies Said to Have Met With U.S. on Suit (Update1) 

Tobacco company lawyers met with U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan last month to urge her not to file a Supreme Court appeal in the government’s racketeering case against the industry, an official involved in the Justice Department’s deliberations about the case said.

The meeting, reported by the Associated Press earlier today, ultimately might lead to settlement talks, though the two sides haven’t had any contact since then, the person said. . . .

Estrada, reached by phone, declined to comment. Two Reynolds spokesmen, David Howard and Tommy Payne, didn’t immediately respond to voice mail messages and e-mails left after normal business hours. Carvin didn’t immediately respond to an e-mail. Calls to Altria weren’t immediately returned.

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