High-Cost Cancer: |
May 03, 2006 |
Dollar-A-Pack Tax Ignites Tobacco Hacks
There’s nothing like the dollar-a-pack tax on tobacco products—now pending in the Texas Senate—to smoke out the shameless tobacco hacks who have enveloped the capitol in recent months. With sin-taxes dominating Austin’s agenda, tobacco interests spent $1.4 million to $2.9 million on 52 lobby contracts by the first of this year. Philip Morris’ Marlboro Man rode out front, spending up to $855,000 on 15 Texas tobacco hacks. Smokeless tobacco giant U.S. Tobacco—which peddles the Copenhagen, Skoal and Red Seal brands—came next, paying fifteen Texas lobbyists up to $515,000. Discount cigarette vendors, led by Star Scientific and Commonwealth could profit from the tax, which might prompt some smokers to abandon pricier name brands.
Texas Tobacco Lobby Clients, January 2006
Tobacco-Related Client |
Max. Value |
Min. Value |
No of |
Description |
| Philip Morris | $855,000 |
$430,000 |
15 |
Marlboro Man |
| UST Public Affairs, Inc. | $515,000 |
$260,000 |
13 |
Smokeless tobacco |
| R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. | $300,000 |
$150,000 |
4 |
Joe Camel |
| Star Scientific, Inc. | $275,000 |
$135,000 |
4 |
Discount cigarettes |
| Swisher International, Inc. | $250,000 |
$125,000 |
3 |
Swisher Sweet cigars |
| Commonwealth Brands, Inc. | $225,000 |
$110,000 |
3 |
Discount cigarettes |
| Lorillard Tobacco Co. | $200,000 |
$125,000 |
2 |
Newport menthols |
| North Atlantic Trading Co. | $125,000 |
$60,000 |
3 |
Smokeless tobacco |
| Cigar Assn. of America, Inc. | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
Cigar trade group |
| Swedish Match North America | $20,000 |
$0 |
2 |
Smokeless tobacco |
| Conwood Co., L.P. | $20,000 |
$0 |
2 |
Smokeless tobacco |
TOTAL |
$2,885,000 |
$1,445,000 |
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Lobbyist Mario Munoz inhaled the most tobacco money, billing R.J. Reynolds and the Cigar Association of America up to $200,000. Alan Erwin boasted the most tobacco clients, juggling up to $150,000 in contracts from Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds and Lorillard. Four other lobbyists made up to $150,000 off the cancer lobby: Reggie Bashur, Rusty Kelley, Stan Schlueter and David Sibley.
Texas Tobacco Lobby Hacks, January 2006
Tobacco Hack |
Max. Value |
Min. Value |
No. of |
Top |
| Mario Munoz | $200,000 |
$100,000 |
2 |
R.J./Cigar Assn. |
| Reggie Bashur | $150,000 |
$100,000 |
1 |
UST |
| Alan R. Erwin | $150,000 |
$75,000 |
3 |
PM/RJ/Lorillard |
| Russell T. Kelley | $150,000 |
$100,000 |
1 |
UST |
| Stan Schlueter | $150,000 |
$100,000 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| David Sibley | $150,000 |
$100,000 |
1 |
Lorillard |
| James M. Clark | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
UST |
| Nora Del Bosque | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
Swisher |
| Kathy N. Hutto | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
Commonwealth |
| Susan Longley | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| M. Edward Lopez | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| James W. Mathis | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
Swisher |
| Richard H. McBride | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
Star |
| Robert Johnson, Jr. | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
R. J. Reynolds |
| Brett Price | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
Star |
| Ed Small | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
Commonwealth |
| Michael Toomey | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| Randall B. Wood | $100,000 |
$50,000 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| Karey W. Barton | $50,000 |
$25,000 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| Ron Hinkle | $50,000 |
$25,000 |
1 |
North Atlantic |
| S. Jay Maguire II | $50,000 |
$25,000 |
1 |
Star |
| Don McFarlin | $50,000 |
$25,000 |
1 |
R. J. Reynolds |
| Bill Messer | $50,000 |
$25,000 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| William R. Ratliff | $50,000 |
$25,000 |
1 |
North Atlantic |
| Jim Short | $50,000 |
$25,000 |
1 |
Swisher |
| Ellen Williams | $50,000 |
$25,000 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| Joey Bennett | $25,000 |
$10,000 |
1 |
UST |
| Trey J. Blocker | $25,000 |
$10,000 |
1 |
Commonwealth |
| Jack K. Dillard | $25,000 |
$10,000 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| Pamela M. Giblin | $25,000 |
$10,000 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| Robert Thomas Ratliff | $25,000 |
$10,000 |
1 |
North Atlantic |
| Rachele Smith | $25,000 |
$10,000 |
1 |
Star |
| Michael L. White | $25,000 |
$10,000 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| Robert D. Culley | $20,000 |
$0 |
2 |
Conwood/Swedish |
| Kraege Polan | $20,000 |
$0 |
2 |
Conwood/Swedish |
| Brenda Eschberger | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
UST |
| Eric Glenn | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| Jaimie Grunert | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
UST |
| Jana L. Hixson | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
UST |
| Michael J. Johnson | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
UST |
| Sara Kemptner | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
UST |
| Lara Laneri Keel | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| Toni Luttrell | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
UST |
| Carol McGarah | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
UST |
| Anna Lisa Montoya | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
UST |
| Gwyn C. Shea | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
Philip Morris |
| Barbara Waldon | $10,000 |
$0 |
1 |
UST |
TOTAL: |
$2,885,000 |
$1,445,000 |
52 |
