A Smoking Giant's GOP Connection ($$)

WASHINGTON, March 8 /U.S. Newswire
The next battle in the war on smoking will probably be fought on Capitol Hill and feature unlikely allies: a tobacco company that is supporting new federal regulations, and two members of Congress who know firsthand about the dangers of smoking but are in charge of Republican fundraising efforts. . .

But public health groups say two of the bills, which are sponsored by National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., and National Republican Senatorial Committee head Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., are actually smoke screens supported by tobacco giant Philip Morris Cos. Inc. . .

Some critics suspect that the politics of fundraising may be linked to the two Republican lawmakers' tobacco bills. During the past federal election cycle, Philip Morris contributed $3.4 million-82 percent of it to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Of that, the company gave $570,550 to the NRSC and $571,578 to the NRCC.

"It is certainly quite a shocking coincidence that the heads of the Republican campaign committees in the House and Senate are sponsoring these bills. We continue to ask the question, `What are these contributions buying?' " the Lung Association's Billings said.

Davis bristles at the public health groups' suggestion that campaign contributions have anything to do with his stance. "I'm sick of these self-righteous groups," he told National Journal. "I've been in this fight for a long time. My conscience is clear. They can call me `the Marlboro Man.' Whatever. It's garbage." . .

He said that some tobacco companies' contributions to this year's GOP House-Senate fundraiser, which was on June 27, were lower than in the past.

In the past two years, R.J. Reynolds gave $190,338 to the NRCC and $40,000 to the NRSC; Brown & Williamson Tobacco donated $81,950 to the NRCC and $146,250 to the NRSC; and Loews Corporation, which owns Lorillard, contributed $62,500 to the NRCC and $30,000 to the NRSC, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. R.J. Reynolds gave $40,000 to the House- Senate dinners in the 2000 election cycle. Brown and Williamson gave $50,000. And Lorillard gave $20,000.

According to an NRSC spokesman, exact figures on donations are not yet available for the June 27 event, which was dubbed "black tie and boots" in honor of the President. Philip Morris was listed on the program as a co-chair and corporate sponsor, and R.J. Reynolds, which says it contributed $50,000, was listed as a vice-chair. . .

"Congressman Waxman's litmus test isn't just passing legislation, it's passing good legislation," Schiliro said. "If we pass a bad bill, we may not get another tobacco bill for 10 years."