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Tobacco spends thousands on legislators Date published: 12/28/2008
BY CHELYEN DAVIS
RICHMOND --When Gov. Tim Kaine proposed last week to double the tax on cigarettes, he took on a large contributor to state politicians.Tobacco companies have over the years given millions of dollars to Virginia candidates--including to Kaine himself. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, a database of campaign finance donations in Virginia, tobacco companies, executives and farmers have given state politicians nearly $6 million since 1996. The Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund has donated $15,826, with 76 percent going to Democrats. The roster of candidates who've received donations from tobacco companies includes nearly every politician in state politics, in both parties. Think of a big name in state politics--former Gov. Jim Gilmore, former Lt. Gov. John Hager, former Gov. Mark Warner, former state Sen. John Chichester, former House Speaker Vance Wilkins, former GOP gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore, current Democratic Party Chairman Dick Cranwell, House Speaker Bill Howell, Gov. Tim Kaine--they're all on the list of tobacco donations. Local lawmakers on the list, in addition to Howell and Chichester, include Sens. Edd Houck and Richard Stuart and Dels. Mark Cole, Bobby Orrock and Albert Pollard. The largest donor by far is Altria, the Richmond-based parent company of Philip Morris, maker of the Marlboro brand of cigarettes. Altria gave politicians $2.8 million over the past 12 years, 62 percent to Republicans. Altria had eight lobbyists registered with the Secretary of the Commonwealth as of its last report. The next-largest tobacco donor on the list, Reynolds American, has given $533,000 since 1996, with 57 percent of it going to Republicans. Universal Corp., a Richmond-based tobacco leaf processing company, has donated $457,044 over those 12 years; U.S. Tobacco, maker of Copenhagen snuff, has given $383,636; and Virginia-based S&M Brands, maker of Baileys cigarettes, gave $376,348. The two state political parties top the list of recipients of Altria donations, with the Democratic Party's Commonwealth Victory Fund PAC getting $167,000 over the years and the party itself another $43,350. The House and Senate Democratic The Republican Party has received $166,000. Two Republican legislative PACs, the Joint Republican Caucus and the Senate Republican Leadership Trust, have together received more than $125,000 from Altria, and the House Republican Campaign Committee took in $36,206. Republican Jerry Kilgore's 2005 campaign comes in third, receiving $97,707.
Date published: 12/28/2008
the tobacco industry paid to States as part
of the attorneys general settlement? That
was supposed to pay for the expenses the
states paid for treatment of lung cancer and
other smoking related health costs. Did all
that cash just vaporize into general funds
and was spent in a year? As far as I can
tell the only smokers left are old timers,
bums and teenagers, none of whom have a
lot of money. Why place the tax issue on
their backs? Cigarettes need a mandatory
additive that makes you puke your brains
out.
They will continue to do what whatever serves their bank accounts so long as we continue to vote them in. Isn't it funny that Obama ran on "change" and was backed by the very senators and politicians that are actually what Americans want changed!
Virginia health services are facing huge cuts. To bring in more revenue, the governor has prudently proposed a state tax increase on cigarettes (a leading cause of health problems) from 30 cents (1/4 the average) to 60 cents (1/2 the average). In my humble opinion, this is good policy and makes sense. But according to our Republican leadership, raising the state cigarette tax to 1/2 the national average will cause Virginians to cut back on their cigarette consumption and hurt these valuable corporations.
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