ParfumGigi@aol.com
Wed, 4 Oct 2006 14:29:12 EDT
http://www.tobaccofreeaction.org/contributions/
Federal Contributions
In September 2006, the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund and Common Cause issued our annual report on tobacco industry political contributions to federal candidates, political parties and political action committees.
Our September 2006 annual report found that so far in the 2005-2006 election cycle, the tobacco industry has given nearly $3 million in PAC contributions to federal candidates, political parties and other political action committees, including more than $1.7 million in political contributions directly to federal candidates . Since 1997, tobacco interests have given more than $32.8 million in political donations to federal candidates, national parties and non-party political action committees.
The impact of tobacco industry contributions is evident in the debate over legislation to grant the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products. A House-Senate conference committee killed the FDA legislation in October 2004 when a majority of the Senate conferees voted for it, but a majority of House conferees did not.
Conference committee members who voted against the FDA legislation received, on average, nearly five times as much in tobacco industry PAC contributions as those who voted for the legislation. Those voting against FDA authority received on average $27,255 in tobacco political action committee PAC contributions from 1999 to 2004, while those voting for the legislation received on average $5,505 in tobacco PAC contributions.
State Contributions
The Institute on Money in State Politics tracks contributions to state candidates. The Institute maintains a database of all contributions to state candidates, including contributions from tobacco companies. The Institute's searchable databases are available to the public online, and are searchable by candidate, contributor and industry sector (including tobacco). Tobacco contributions to state candidates can be accessed at
