New website tobaccomoney.com highlights campaign contributions and gifts from tobacco lobbyists to members of the Oklahoma State Legislator. Here is a listing of some of the websites top 5 recipients:
Top Recipients of Tobacco Lobby Money in the Oklahoma House of Representatives*
|
State Repre sentative |
Campaign Contributions from Tobacco Lobbyists |
Campaign Contributions from Tobacco Company PAC’s |
Meals & Other Gifts from Tobacco Lobbyists |
TOTAL |
| Randy Terrill |
$2,850 |
$3,250 |
$198 |
$6,298 |
| T.W. Shannon |
$1,600 |
$3,700 |
$332 |
$5,632 |
| Mike Jackson |
$2,650 |
$1,000 |
$1,501 |
$5,151 |
| John Trebilcock |
$1,450 |
$2,250 |
$507 |
$4,207 |
| Mike Sanders |
$3,200 |
$500 |
$297 |
$3,997 |
Top Recipients of Tobacco Lobby Money in the Oklahoma Senate*
|
State Senator |
Campaign Contributions from Tobacco Lobbyists |
Campaign Contributions from Tobacco Company PAC’s |
Meals & Other Gifts from Tobacco Lobbyists |
TOTAL |
| Rob Johnson |
$6,700 |
$3,500 |
$1,039 |
$11,239 |
| Brian Bingman |
$3,500 |
$2,500 |
$1,046 |
$7,046 |
| Dan Newberry |
$4,250 |
$2,500 |
$146 |
$6,896 |
| Patrick Anderson |
$5,250 |
$500 |
$233 |
$5,983 |
| Don Barrington |
$4,650 |
$1,000 |
$67 |
$5,717 |
* Since January 1, 2006
Health & Economic Impact of Tobacco in Oklahoma*
- Number one cause of preventable disease and premature death, killing an estimated 6,000 Oklahomans each year.
- For every person who dies from tobacco use, another 20 are suffering with at least one serious tobacco-caused disease.
- The vast majority of tobacco users become addicted as young people. If current trends continue, an estimated 87,000 Oklahoma youth alive today will ultimately die early from smoking.
- Most current tobacco users in Oklahoma want to quit and have tried many times.
- Every pack of cigarettes sold costs Oklahoma’s economy an estimated $7.62 in medical expenses and lost productivity caused by premature death and disease.
Federal Racketeering Conviction of Major Tobacco Companies*
- On August 17, 2006, Philip Morris, Altria, R.J. Reynolds, Brown and Williamson, Lorillard, American Tobacco, and British American Tobacco Company were found guilty in U.S. District Court of racketeering and conducting a conspiracy. The decision noted that they have not ceased engaging in unlawful activity and that “their continuing conduct misleads consumers in order to maximize Defendants revenues by recruiting new smokers (the majority of whom are under the age of 18), preventing current smokers from quitting, and thereby sustaining the industry.”
- On May 22, 2009, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a unanimous opinion upholding the District Court judgment.
- On June 28, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear appeals in the case, thereby allowing the federal racketeering conviction to stand.
ABOUT TOBACCOMONEY.COM
The purpose of tobaccomoney.com is to help expose and eliminate the influence of the tobacco industry in the Oklahoma State Legislature through public awareness and by encouraging the refusal of all campaign contributions and gifts from all registered tobacco lobbyists and tobacco company PAC’s. No disrespect towards any individual person is intended. The databases on the website are compiled using information available to the public from the Oklahoma Ethics Commission. For more information, please contact Doug Matheny at contact@tobaccomoney.com or 405-474-8381.