The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TOBACCO ESCAPES HUGE PENALTY” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H4193 on June 8, 2005.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TOBACCO ESCAPES HUGE PENALTY
(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. President Bush, your Justice Department legal team is failing you, and failing you miserably. Tobacco companies have bilked the consumer for hundreds of billions of dollars. I am proud to say that State attorneys general recovered $215 billion for their States. We find out today in The Washington Post the Justice Department has given away the ranch. The headline says it all:
``Tobacco Escapes Huge Penalty.'' Even the tobacco attorneys are mystified.
They said, ``They've gone down from $130 billion to $10 billion with absolutely no explanation. It's clear the government has not thought through what it's doing.''
President Bush, there is still time. Call your Attorney General and tell him to put on a real case. Otherwise, you are throwing in the towel to Big Tobacco.
____________________
