http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/category/lobbying.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=60307 http://tobacco.org/news/268165.html Pro-smoking group Forest will today pressure MPs to amend the smoking ban and allow licensed smoking rooms in pubs and clubs. Speaking at a House of Commons reception hosted by Tory MP Philip Davies the group's director Simon Clark plans to highlight the plight of pubs to an audience of MPs. Handing them each a complimentary Montecristo No. 2 cigar, he will say: "Many pubs and clubs have suffered serious economic hardship and for many smokers the social impact has been equally severe. "It is very unfair, especially on older smokers. For some mental health sufferers the impact of the ban has been devastating. The Publican info@thepublicanjobs.com (Georgie Hobbs) UK Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/23/climatechange.carbonemissions http://tobacco.org/news/267564.html Of course, it's not a crime, and it's hard to see how, in a free society, it could or should become one. But the culpability of the energy firms the climate scientist James Hansen will indict in his testimony to Congress today is clear. If we fail to stop runaway climate change, it will be largely because of campaigning by oil, coal and electricity companies, and the network of lobbyists, fake experts and thinktanks they have sponsored. The operation sprang directly from Big Tobacco's war against science. It has used the same fake experts, the same public relations companies and the same tactics: as I showed in my book Heat, the campaign against action on climate change was partly launched by the tobacco company Philip Morris. But while the tobacco companies' professional liars were smoked out by a massive class action in the US, the sponsored climate change deniers still have massive influence over public perception. . . . I don't believe that the energy companies should be prosecuted for commissioning the truckload of trash their sponsored experts publish. But their campaign of disinformation must be exposed again and again. Like the tobacco lobbyists, they are not only delaying essential public action; they also create the impression that science is for sale to the highest bidder. The awful truth is that sometimes it is. The Guardian userhelp@guardian.co.uk (George Monbiot) Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thefreesociety.org/ http://tobacco.org/news/267535.html Say No to Big Government The Free Society has been launched to give a voice to those who want less, not more, government interference in our daily lives . . . More laws based on prejudice and propaganda Wednesday June 4, 2008 I don't care much for smoking, says Eamonn Butler, but haven't we persecuted smokers enough? Smoking Tougher tobacco controls means less freedom for all The Free Society UK Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thefreesociety.org/About-Us/Who-Are-We http://tobacco.org/news/267534.html The Free Society (TFS) has been launched by the smokers’ lobby group Forest to give a voice to those who want less not more government interference in their daily lives. Confronted by an ever expanding army of politicians, bureaucrats and special interest groups who seem determined to limit our freedoms through social engineering and censorship, The Free Society will discuss freedom and its limits and encourage national debate on a wide range of issues. Our goal is a society that adopts a sensible, laissez-faire approach to social and economic affairs, trusting people to make their own decisions about how best to live their lives, mindful of the effect their behaviour may have on other people. Background Since 1979 Forest has campaigned on behalf of smokers and tolerant non-smokers. The Free Society UK Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://takingliberties.squarespace.com/taking-liberties/2008/6/20/forest-in-the-house.html http://tobacco.org/news/267533.html On July 1st, the first anniversary of the public smoking ban in England, Philip Davies MP is hosting a reception for Forest in the House of Commons. This is an invitation only event to which we are inviting MPs and a small representative group of people for whom the legislation has had a major social or economic impact. (The group includes include smokers, tolerant non-smokers, pub and bar owners, to name a few.) If you have a message for your MP (or MPs generally) concerning the smoking ban, please comment here or email me direct. We are particularly keen to register with MPs the negative impact the ban is having on many people's lives. Describe how the ban has affected you personally. Also, what amendments to the current legislation would you like to see introduced following the review of the Health Act in 2010? Third, has the ban influenced you to cut down or quit smoking? Taking Liberties UK Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080618/ust_lobbying.html?.v=1 http://tobacco.org/news/267118.html Smokeless tobacco and wine producer UST Inc. spent $650,000 in the first quarter to lobby on tobacco-related legislation and other issues, according to two disclosure reports. The Stamford, Conn.-based holding company for Skoal tobacco and Ste. Michelle wines lobbied on legislation pertaining to smoking prevention and tobacco control, a bill to combat illegal tobacco trafficking, taxes and other matters. AP Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jun/08/tobacco-firm-funds-county-gop-50000-from-altria/?partner=yahoo_headlines http://tobacco.org/news/266596.html The nation's largest tobacco company has donated $50,000 to the Ventura County Republican Central Committee as the local party gears up to help GOP candidate Tony Strickland in what is expected to be a multimillion-dollar campaign this fall in the 19th Senate District. The donation was solicited by county Chairman Mike Osborn and committee member Dean Kunicki as part of an aggressive attempt to raise money for the coming campaign season, which will be highlighted by what has been targeted by both parties as the key legislative race in California. The contribution accounts for 88 percent of the $56,800 the county party had raised this year through the most recent reporting period. Most of the rest, $6,000, came from the state Republican Party. . . . The role of tobacco money in politics has long been controversial, and many candidates decline to accept contributions from the industry. However, health groups in Sacramento say the influence of tobacco money in politics is on the rise. "There's an alarming trend of the tobacco industry increasing its influence by ramping up its political contributions," said Jim Knox, vice president of the American Cancer Society Action Network. Knox noted the tobacco industry played "a major role in killing healthcare reform in California last year. They don't issue press releases, they don't testify at hearings, but they're hard at work in the halls of the Capitol." Ventura County Star Sun, 08 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080604/reynolds_american_lobbying.html?.v=1 http://tobacco.org/news/266452.html The nation's No. 2 tobacco company lobbied against proposed legislation that would grant the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate cigarettes and other tobacco products. . . . Reynolds also lobbied on a bill to prevent tobacco smuggling and collection of tobacco taxes, among other things, according to the report filed April 17 with the House clerk's office. AP Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/30/AR2008053003121.html http://tobacco.org/news/266325.html Although the campaign and the group deny any cooperation, CAGW's willingness to jump into the tanker controversy illustrates what some experts describe as potentially improper political activity by nonprofits, an issue that is gaining attention as the presidential contest heats up. . . . CAGW's advertising campaign falls into a murkier space. The group's work on the Northrop deal offered indirect support of McCain on a highly controversial issue while costing his campaign nothing. It never explicitly mentioned McCain's name. "This is the public relations equivalent of air cover: You saturate debate with your rhetoric so people start talking about your message and stop talking about McCain. . . . It's a classic third-party technique," said Sheldon Rampton, research director for the Center for Media and Democracy, a liberal organization that tracks the use of public relations by corporations and politicians. Because of their tax-exempt status, nonprofits, or 501(c)3s, are not supposed to engage in political activity. They are allowed, however, to set up a separate political arm -- known as a 501(c)4 -- that may donate money to candidates and lobby on policy issues as long as political activity is not its primary purpose. The Internal Revenue Service is charged with enforcing the rules. . . . "The question is: What is lobbying and what is campaign intervention?" said Frances R. Hill, a University of Miami law professor who specializes in charitable organizations. "The difficult issue that arises with these kinds of relationships, especially in election years, is whether a candidate for public office is benefiting improperly from an organization's activity." Formed in 1984, CAGW has long promoted McCain's image as a taxpayer advocate. Since 2006, the nonprofit's board of directors has included Orson Swindle, who also works on veterans issues as a volunteer for the McCain campaign. CAGW has a lobbying arm, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, that has twice supported McCain for president. Its PAC has donated $11,000 in cash to McCain or a PAC under his control since 2004 -- 20 times as much cash as it has given any other candidate, records show. The Washington Post Sat, 31 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://blog.washingtonpost.com/washingtonpostinvestigations/2008/06/mccain_and_the_nonprofit.html http://tobacco.org/news/266324.html The relationship between Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, and the nonprofit Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) was examined in a Saturday Post article. . . . CAGW has been in the spotlight before for its relationship with political supporters. The St. Petersburg Times reported two years ago that the tobacco industry worked with the nonprofit in the late 1980s. "Both sides profited from the relationship.CAGW got at least $245,000 from the tobacco industry, while the companies got a fresh and supposedly independent voice to oppose government regulation of their product," The Times reported. The Post has been complementary of the work CAGW has done monitoring government spending. In February, the paper called Citizens Against Government Waste "Washington's leading opponent of pork-barrel spending." "Its annual Pig Book, which lists the government's narrow giveaways, is used by news outlets worldwide to ridicule federal earmarks," the story said. Washington Post blog placeholder@wpni.com (Derek Kravitz&nbsp) Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.in-forum.com/articles/rss.cfm?id=203236&freebie_check&CFID=40628082&CFTOKEN=48327784&jsessionid=88306e4f5f9776361119 http://tobacco.org/news/266106.html Campaign finance reports indicate tens of thousands of dollars are being spent on the battle over smoking in Fargo. Voters in Fargo will decide June 10 whether to enact an ordinance that would ban smoking in all bars and truck stops. The Fargo Retailers Association – which opposes more restrictions – accepted $64,200 in contributions of at least $100. The vast majority of funds came from local bars and liquor wholesalers. Expenses added up to more than $53,000. The group supporting the ban has received more than $18,000 in contributions. Fargo In-Forum jmonk@wday.com (Jim Monk, WDAY-AM ) Thu, 29 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/on_tobacco_issues_advocates_say_all_presidential_candidates_better_than_bus/18074/ http://tobacco.org/news/265739.html Over the last eight years, President Bush has often sided with tobacco companies against legislation to curb smoking, they say. "This administration hasn't been particularly positive on a tobacco-control agenda," said Paul Billings, vice president of national policy advocacy for the American Lung Association. With the lackluster economy, the Middle East and the extended Democratic primary battle dominating the presidential race, scant attention has been paid to the candidates' views on key tobacco policy issues. A review of Barack Obama's, Hillary Clinton's and John McCain's voting records and proposals reveals that all three candidates have fought for stricter tobacco control measures than Bush. . . . TOBACCO LOBBYISTS ON STAFF Over the last week, several top McCain advisers have resigned from his campaign because of their lobbying work. One top McCain adviser who remains, Charlie Black, lobbied for several years for Philip Morris. His wife, Judy Black, a former Tobacco Institute executive, also plays a role in the campaign. Black, who is on leave from his lobbying firm, BKSH & Associates, has said he has not lobbied McCain on issues of importance to current or former clients. Mark Penn, a top strategist for Clinton, also worked for Philip Morris, helping the company develop a strategy for lobbying Congress on key regulatory issues. A review of federal lobbying records did not turn up any Obama campaign staffers or advisers who have worked as lobbyists for tobacco companies. . . . Contributions to Presidential Candidates by Tobacco Industry Employees 2008 (through April) Hillary Clinton--$46,000 John McCain--$25,000 Barack Obama--$20,000 2004 George W. Bush--$171,000 Opelika-Auburn News Wed, 21 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/21/AR2008052103006_pf.html http://tobacco.org/news/265736.html Longtime uber-lobbyist Charles R. Black Jr. is John McCain's man in Washington, a political maestro who is hoping to guide his friend, the senator from Arizona, to the presidency this November. But for half a decade in the 1980s, Black was also Jonas Savimbi's man in the capital city. His lobbying firm received millions from the brutal Angolan guerrilla leader and took advantage of Black's contacts in Congress and the White House. Justice Department records that Black's firm submitted under the Foreign Agents Registration Act detail frequent meetings with lawmakers and their staffs and lavish spending by Black and his partners as they attempted to ensure support for Savimbi, whose UNITA movement was fighting the Marxist Angolan government. Then in his 30s, Black already had established himself as a pioneer of the revolving door between campaign consulting and lobbying, having been a senior adviser on President Ronald Reagan's reelection campaign before returning to K Street. . . . Black formed the political consulting firm Black, Manafort and Stone in 1980 with two other Republican political advisers, Paul Manafort and Roger Stone. In 1981, the trio started a separate lobbying company by the same name. In subsequent years, the lobbying firm added Democrat Peter Kelly, and the consulting firm tapped legendary GOP adviser Lee Atwater. The lobbying shop represented Bethlehem Steel, the Tobacco Institute and the government of the Philippines. The Washington Post Thu, 22 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/tobacco-alcohol-anti-quota-lobbies-want-to-oust-me-ramadoss_10049791.html http://tobacco.org/news/265400.html Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss Saturday alleged the tobacco and alcohol lobbies and those against the reservation policy were conspiring to oust him. "The lobby is out to get at me," the minister told mediapersons here. "The alcohol, tobacco and anti-reservation lobby is trying to destabilise me and destabilise my party (the PMK, a UPA constituent from Tamil Nadu)," Ramadoss said, defending his high-profile and controversial campaign against tobacco and alcohol as well as championing of the extension of the other backward classes (OBC) quota in institutions like the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). "They cannot get me by democratic means," the minister said, adding that was why these "lobbies" were using pressure tactics through a section of the media "to tarnish my image". Thaindian.com India Sat, 17 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2008/05/15/steve_milloy_and_rachel_carson/index.html?source=rss&aim=/tech/htww http://tobacco.org/news/265338.html The myth that Rachel Carson, author of "Silent Spring," was responsible for the deaths of millions of people in Africa because her denunciations of DDT led to a "ban" . . . But I did not know until reading John Quiggin and Tim Lambert's enlightening story in the British Prospect (thanks to The New Republic's Energy and Environment blog for the tip) how exactly the assault on Carson ever got started. . . . DDT had been replaced by less environmentally damaging alternatives. But soon the situation changed radically. The tobacco industry, faced with the prospect of bans on smoking in public places, sought to cast doubt on the science behind the mooted ban. But a campaign focused on tobacco alone was doomed to failure. So the industry tried a different tack, an across-the-board attack on what it called "junk science." Its primary vehicle was the Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC), a body set up by PR firm APCO in the early 1990s and secretly funded by Philip Morris. . . . DDT had been replaced by less environmentally damaging alternatives. But soon the situation changed radically. The tobacco industry, faced with the prospect of bans on smoking in public places, sought to cast doubt on the science behind the mooted ban. But a campaign focused on tobacco alone was doomed to failure. So the industry tried a different tack, an across-the-board attack on what it called "junk science." Its primary vehicle was the Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC), a body set up by PR firm APCO in the early 1990s and secretly funded by Philip Morris. TASSC, led by an activist named Steve Milloy, attacked the environmental movement on everything . . . As for the "orthodoxy of mainstream U.S. Republicanism" -- judging by the recent Democratic pickups of purportedly "safe" Republican Congressional seats in three consecutive special elections, it seems to have fallen a bit out of favor with the mainstream U.S. general public. Could it be that the ill effects of embracing charlatans like Steve Milloy are finally taking their toll? Just as overuse of DDT for agricultural purposes led to the development of resistant mosquitos, overuse of Steve Milloy may be leading to resistant voters. Salon Magazine aleonard@salon.com (Andrew Leonard / How the World Works) Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT