Justice Looking Into Senate Tobacco Deal

The Justice Department’s criminal division is investigating allegations that Senate Republicans and the tobacco industry violated federal law by illegally colluding to torpedo anti-smoking legislation in June. The department quietly informed Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) on Aug. 17 that it would examine whether the industry and Senate Republicans engaged in an illegal quid pro quo: political advertising in exchange for votes. “The allegation that tobacco companies may have promised favorable political advertising in exchange for a senator’s vote on specific legislation raises . . . concerns under the bribery and gratuity statutes,” Assistant Atty. Gen. L. Anthony Sutin wrote. The landmark tobacco legislation collapsed June 18 in Congress. Before the vote, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky reportedly told fellow Republicans that tobacco industry officials had promised to continue running advertising through the November elections to try to provide political cover to Republican senators who would vote against the bill. The ads condemn the anti-smoking bill, which would impose sharply higher cigarette taxes, as another effort to raise taxes on ordinary Americans. McConnell denies any quid pro quo.