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Top Tobacco Industry Contributors

The top five tobacco industry contributors – Philip Morris, RJ Reynolds, US Tobacco Co, the Tobacco Institute and Brown & Williamson – accounted for 92 percent of all tobacco industry political contributions during the past decade, according to the Common Cause study.

Philip Morris Inc of Richmond, VA is the country’s largest cigarette company. Marlboro, its principal brand, has been the world’s leading cigarette since 1972. Philip Morris also produces Benson & Hedges, Merit, Virginia Slims and Cambridge brand cigarettes.

Philip Morris’ PAC contributed $3,845,660 during the 10-year period, while Philip Morris contributed $4,663,313 in soft money during the period, according to the Common Cause study.

RJ Reynolds Tobacco of Winston-Salem, NC, a subsidiary of RJR Nabisco Inc, is the nation’s second-largest cigarette producer. It produces Camel, Century, Doral, Magna, More, NOW, Salem, Vantage and Winston brand cigarettes.

RJ Reynolds’ PAC contributed $3,611,688 during the 10-year period, while RJ Reynolds/RJR Nabisco and its top executives contributed $3,244,790 in soft money during the period, according to the study.

US Tobacco’s PAC contributed $2,352,825 during the 10-year period, while US Tobacco and its top executives contributed $1,771,578 in soft money during the period...

United States Tobacco Co of Greenwich, CT is the nation’s largest maker of smokeless tobacco products. Its brands include Skoal and Copenhagen smokeless tobacco.

US Tobacco’s PAC contributed $2,352,825 during the 10-year period, while US Tobacco and its top executives contributed $1,771,578 in soft money during the period, according to the study.

The Tobacco Institute of Washington, DC, represents the major tobacco companies. The Tobacco Institute lobbies Congress, conducts pro-tobacco public relations campaigns and sponsors its own research to determine the health effects of tobacco use.

The Tobacco Institute’s PAC contributed $827,686 during the 10-year period, while the Tobacco Institute contributed $1,205,826 in soft money during the period, according to the study.

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp of Louisville, KY is a subsidiary of BAT Industries (formerly British-American Tobacco) of London. At the end of 1994, BAT also acquired American Tobacco Corp. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp sells Kool, Pall Mall, Lucky Strike, Viceroy, Barclay, Raleigh, Belair and Newport brand cigarettes.

Brown & Williamson’s PAC contributed $864,817 during the 10-year period, and Brown & Williamson, BAT Industries and American Tobacco Corp. contributed $935,500 in soft money during the period, according to the study.

Sources

The Common Cause study is based on PAC reports covering the period January 1, 1987 through December 31, 1996 and political party soft money reports covering the period January 1, 1988 through December 31, 1996 filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Contribution totals for current Representatives and Senators include tobacco industry PAC contributions received for all House and Senate campaigns run by these Members during the period.

Republican soft money totals include soft money contributions to the Republican National Committee (RNC), National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), and the Republican Senate-House Dinner Committee. Democratic soft money totals include soft money contributions to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), and the Democratic Congressional Dinner Committee.