What's worse, taking campaign money from
the tobacco industry, or taking campaign money from opponents of tobacco?
While Shepherd
Express links Wisconsin Attorney General Jim Doyle to the lawyers who
sued big tobacco, Shepherd publisher Louis Fortis, a former Democrat
legislator, took campaign money from the tobacco industry itself, and so did his
pal Chuckie Chvala, the Senate Majority Leader, a University of California
Medical School report shows.
Tobacco Industry Political Activity and
Tobacco Control Policy Making in Wisconsin: 1983-1998
- The tobacco industry is a major source of campaign
contributions to legislative candidates, state constitutional office
candidates, and political party committees. In the 1987-88 election cycle,
the tobacco industry directly contributed $9,079 to legislators and
candidates. In the 1995-96 election cycle the tobacco industry directly
contributed $41,125.
- A relationship exists between tobacco industry
campaign contributions and state legislative behavior. The more money a
legislator receives, the less likely he or she will support tobacco control
efforts. Report
by School of Medicine, University of California.
- The tobacco industry spent $3.462 million lobbying in
Madison between 1991-1996. Report
- Both Shepherd Express publisher Louis G.
Fortis and Wisconsin's controversial senate majority leader, Chuckie Chvala,
are on the list of candidates who received tobacco money. Report