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| Former congressman Steve Buyer now a lobbyist for tobacco industry. |
ProPublica weighs in with a story
that shows the folly of populating Congress with lawmakers who are puppets for
special interest groups.
that shows the folly of populating Congress with lawmakers who are puppets for
special interest groups.
The online news agency reports that
a former 18-year member of Congress who was especially cozy with the tobacco
industry has become a paid consultant and registered lobbyist for tobacco giant
Reynolds American, the parent company for R.J. Reynolds.
a former 18-year member of Congress who was especially cozy with the tobacco
industry has become a paid consultant and registered lobbyist for tobacco giant
Reynolds American, the parent company for R.J. Reynolds.
Justin Elliott of ProPublica reports that Steve
Buyer, a Republican congressman from Indiana from 1993 to 2011, received more
than $100,000 in Reynolds donations over the years and pushed the company’s
legislative goals.
Buyer, a Republican congressman from Indiana from 1993 to 2011, received more
than $100,000 in Reynolds donations over the years and pushed the company’s
legislative goals.
Here’s a portion of the story:
“In 2009, Buyer gave a famously
colorful speech on the House floor endorsing smokeless
tobacco: ‘You could have smoked that lettuce and you still end up with the same
problems. You could cut the grass in your yard, dry it, and roll it up in a
cigarette, and smoke it — and you’re still going to have a lot of problems,’
he said. ‘It is the smoke that kills, not the nicotine.’
colorful speech on the House floor endorsing smokeless
tobacco: ‘You could have smoked that lettuce and you still end up with the same
problems. You could cut the grass in your yard, dry it, and roll it up in a
cigarette, and smoke it — and you’re still going to have a lot of problems,’
he said. ‘It is the smoke that kills, not the nicotine.’
“Buyer revealed the new job for
Reynolds American in little-noticed testimony Sept.19 before the Indiana General
Assembly’s Health Finance Commission. A federal disclosure filing shows that Buyer and his former
chief of staff, Mike Copher, registered to lobby for a Reynolds American
subsidiary called RAI Services as of the beginning of September. Buyer became a
lobbyist immediately after leaving Congress in 2011, with
a health care company as his first client.
Reynolds American in little-noticed testimony Sept.19 before the Indiana General
Assembly’s Health Finance Commission. A federal disclosure filing shows that Buyer and his former
chief of staff, Mike Copher, registered to lobby for a Reynolds American
subsidiary called RAI Services as of the beginning of September. Buyer became a
lobbyist immediately after leaving Congress in 2011, with
a health care company as his first client.
“At the Indiana hearing, Buyer said
he is working as “an advocate of Harm Reduction Strategies” for Reynolds
American.”
he is working as “an advocate of Harm Reduction Strategies” for Reynolds
American.”
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