ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, August 3, 1996 TAG: 9608050044
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A9 EDITION: METRO
WHY HAS the tobacco industry given $4.75 million in so-called soft-money contributions to the political parties in 1995 and the first half of 1996?
The politicians claim that big money from big interests doesn't buy undue influence. Well, what is undue? Are the tobacco giants getting their money's worth, or are they being duped by members of Congress?
Tobacco interests also gave $2.1 million in direct political-action-
committee gifts to congressional campaigns during this period, according to a new study by the public-interest group, Common Cause.
Of the $2 million in tobacco soft money given to political parties in the first six months of this year, $1.6 million went to the Republicans.
If no undue influence were bought with these checks, we imagine the death toll from smoking - more than 400,000 Americans every year - would rise higher in congressional consciousness. The cigarette sales tax would go up, too.
LENGTH: Short : 27 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICSby CNB