Garrey Carruthers
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Garrey E Carruthers was governor of New Mexico from 1987-1990. [1].
Carruthers served as chairman of the The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC), a pro-industry "junk science" front group created and funded by Philip Morris through the PR firm APCO Associates, now known as APCO Worldwide.[2] He was only ever nominally the head of TASSC; the real behind-the-scenes work was done by a younger professional lobbyist Steve Milloy who became a regular celebrity on Murdoch's Fox TV News. Milloy eventually took over the front-role, and became an on-line arbitrator of what was junk-science and what was 'sound science'. He was the polluting industries' main supporter and cheer-squad leader, both in the health ('tobacco smoke is not dangerous') and environmental ('there is no such thing as climate change') fileds.
Carruther later became the Dean of New Mexico State University's College of Business and is listed as the formerly President and CEO of Cimarron Health Plan. He serves on the board of Arrowhead, an economic development center in Las Cruces, as well as a number of other corporate and public organizations." [1]
- Chair, Think New Mexico
Documents & TimeLine
- Governor Garrey Carruthers, was probably recruited to head the TASSC by Bob Baberousse (TAI's Legislative Counsel) and Betsy LeMond of Philip Morris.
1986 Oct The Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE) Foundation Update announces that President Reagan has named CSE Foundation President Richard H. Fink one of 12 members of the newly-established President's Commission on Privatization. Other commission members are:
- Annelise Graebner Anderson, senior fellow. Hoover Institution
- Michael D. Antonovich, member,Los Angeles County board of supervisors
- Walter F. Bish, president. Independent Steelworkers Union at Wierton Steel Corporation
- Sandra Mitchell Brock, government relations advisor, Heron, Burchette, Ruchert & Rothwell
- Carrey E. Carruthers, Governor of New Mexico
- Melvin R. Laird, former secretary of defense, member of Congress and domestic advisor
- James T. Mclntyre, partner, Hansell & Post and former OMB director
- George L. Priest, professor of law, Yale Law School
- Ralph L. Stanley, Sr. vice president, Municipal Development Corp.
- Walter B. Wriston, former Citicorp CEO and current chairman, president's Economic Policy Board
- Note CSE also had a subsidiary Citzens for a Sensible Environment and is now called FreedomWorks.
1987-90 Carruters was Gov of New Mexico 1987-1990 [4] Also various publicity materials. [5]
- [Note that Jerry Apodaca was Governor in 1975-1979 National Issues Council Chairman; and on the board of Philip Morris until 1981]
1988 Jan 3 A Tobacco Institute report on New Mexico: They are worried about punitive damages and want tort-reform (reduction in the ability for the public to sue for damages).
Barberousse is their legislative lobbyist -- and he is working with ATRA American Tort Reform Association - another industry front supported by tobacco.
At this time Garrey Carruthers was still the Governor of New Mexico. A report on New Mexico for the tobacco industry notes:
The TI lobbylist does not anticipate any significant tort reform activity in 1988. Collateral sources may be given consideration, as may insurance regulation or workers compensation issues. There is virtually no chance that product liability proposals will be introduced or could move in 1988.
Governor Carruthers sees tort reform as valuable to economic development, but he is not actively pushing for reforms in 1988. His effectiveness in promoting legislation is questionable.
The Speaker of the House is firmly opposed the tort and product liability reform. He is backed by the Trial Lawyers and the AFL-CIO.
The New Mexico Alliance for Tort Reform worked for 1987 legislation, but considers 1988 an unlikely year for action due to the time constraint.
The Institute lobbyist [Barberousse] works this issue through his representation of the Association of Independent Insurers. The industry has not been approached for coalition support. [6]
- [Barberousse was, in effect, being double-paid for his work by both the insurance and the tobacco industries.]
1988 Jan 18 Weekly Activities of Terry Frakes for the Tobacco Institute in Region VIII (including New Mexico). He was meeting with David Remes of Covington & Burling (C&B) in Austin Texas, and then went to Sante Fe in New Mexico.
I also had the opportunity to sit down at length with Bob Barberousse, local TI counsel, and discuss the 1988 session of the New Mexico legislature. While I was there a 5 cent a pack cigarette tax bill was filed in the Senate.
Attended a luncheon for the Governor of New Mexico, and Barberousse and I had a chance to sit down and meet with the Speaker of the House, Ray Sanchez. [7]
1990 Mar 9 The Tobacco Institute newsletter "Executive Summary" contains an item:
New Mexico Governor Carruthers has called a three-day special session on revenue starting March 16. Among the governor's proposals is a 4-cent cigarette excise tax increase. During the regular session, the legislature defeated proposals for 6- and 10-cent cigarette tax hikes.
The following week it reported
New Mexico adjourned the special legislative session without acting on Governor Carruthers's 4-cent cigarette excise tax proposal [8]
1993 March Statement of Support for TASSC: this is a draft card design which says "Inappropriate science only harms the integrity of public policy decisions" and asks for a financial contribution (to make it look like a genuine grassroots organisation). This preliminary copy design was in the files of Steve Parrish at Philip Morris Corporate Affairs. [9]
1993 May The TASSC Statement of Principles draft was in the files of Philip Morris's Worldwide Regulatory Affairs (these are the lawyers and political lobbyists). It gives no address other than Washington DC box number, a fax number & phone number) [10]
1993 May 12 Writing to Richard Lindzen at MIT trying to recruit him to TASSC
Curruthers had been an economist at New Mexico State Uni
Lindzen only had to "complete the enclosed Statement of Support" to become a member. (No fees, commitments, etc) [11]
1993 Jun 1 Another draft TASSC document (see "Mr John Doe" name) in the Philip Morris files [12]
1993 Jun Media tour and intensive training in order to raise his profile in the media 2045930491 DENVER MEDIA TRIP Other efforts included involvement in the successful effort by Aspen Ski Corporation and Jackson Hole Ski Corporation to withdraw from Marlboro Challenge skiing events. Additionally, in 1991, the Coalition presented (then) Mayor Fredrico Pena with the Smoke-Free Award in recognition of his support and dedication to creating a smoke-free environment in Denver. US West received the "Smoke-Free Award" in 1989.
| From 1993, Steve Milloy was working as the researcher and organiser, running TASSC from behind the scenes. |
1993 Nov A TASSC list sent to the Tobacco Institute along with press clippings showing the success of Curruthers in his media tours. This is supposedly the launch date. [13]
1994 Miami '94 journalists conference. PAHO doc 'Profits over People p30 Carruthers is paid $5,000 a month
1994 April The first quarterly newsletter 'The Catalyst' by TASSC and asking for help in finding members. It says that the organisation was launched last Fall (November) and that it already has "more than 400 individuals or organisations" including "75 respected scientists and academicians from some of the nation's finest colleges universities, and leading research institutions."
It had been promoted by "a national media tour that took us to Denver, St Louis, San Diego, and Dallas/Fort Worth."
The newsletter spells out examples of unsound science (the term "junk science" hadn't yet become its currency.) Judging from the turgid writing, Milloy may not have been employed at this time. They have a mailing list for their releases for 650 media outlets. Carruther's key supporters were
- Floy Lilley,a Florida lawyer who had become the director of the Clint W Muchison Chair of Free Enterprise at the University of Texas at Austin. She was ex-Xerox Corp., a member of Elizabeth Whelan's American Council on Science and Health, and a climate denier.[14]
https://www.industrydocumentslibrary.ucsf.edu/tobacco/docs/pkhm0090
- Dr Margaret N Maxey the previous holder of the Free Enterprise chair at the University of Texas. She was from the Energy Research Institute and a member of the American Nuclear Society and a half-dozen other related energy and risk-assessment societies. [15]
Under the direction of these three TASSC was:
- * in support of bovine somatotropin (BST was a hormone used to promote milk production and activists were objecting)
- * in support of the Carpet and Rug Institute (vapour exudates from synthetic carpets were saturating some offices)
- * against the Alar scare
- * against the EPA being raised to Cabinet status by President Clinton.
- * against the super-fund toxic waste/landfill projects
- * anti the Clean Air Act [16]
1994 Oct /E TASSC's newsletter, Vol 1 No 3 "The Catalyst"
The American scientific community is very concerned that public confidence in scientific research is being seriously eroded by policy makers who use scientific findings to conform to political agendas, according to a poll sponsored by The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC).
The poll, conducted by The Tarrance Group of Houston, Texas, showed that 62 percent of scientists believe public confidence in scientific research has decreased in the last 10 years, and 83 percent agree that policy makers use science to achieve their policy goals in controversial issues such as asbestos, pesticides, dioxin, environmental tobacco smoke or water quality.
Ed Goeas, President and CEO of The Tarrance Group, also attended the news conference and said, "Overall, researchers are critical of the need for more stringent adherence to scientific principles and a thorough review process of research. These data clearly indicate wide-spread concern over how scientific research is conducted, why it is conducted, and how it is used in the formation of public policy."
After months of research and 10% development, The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC) issued its "Five Guiding Scientific Principles" to offer a standard against which policy-makers should measure research.
The TASSC member scientists who assisted in drafting our Statement of Principles are :
- Dr. James E. Enstrom, University of California at Los Angeles School of Public Health;
- Dr. Alan Gross of the Medical University of South Carolina;
- Dr. Jay Lehr, senior scientist, Environmental Evaluation Enterprises;
- Dr. George Levinskas, fellow, director and past president of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences;
- Dr. Floy Lilley, College of Engineering, University of Texas.
Also,- Dr. Margaret Maxey, professor of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas;
- Dr. Patrick Michaels, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia;
- Dr. Henry Miller, visiting scholar, Hoover Institution, Stanford University;
- Dr. Stuart F. Spickler, professor, Center for Ethics, Medicine and Public Issues, Baylor College of Medicine ; and,
- Dr. Donald Stedman, Brainerd Phillipson professor of chemistry, University of Denver.
Almost every one a grateful recipient of tobacco industry largess
1995 Aug/E (Summer). TASSC's "The Catalyst" newsletter reports that Carruthers was speaking
- to a symposium in Sao Paulo, Brazil on "New Advances in Ambient Air and Cardio-Respatory Illnesses:"
- in La Jolla, San Diego, California, speaking to the California Independent Petroleum Association.
- at the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission 's mid-year meeting
- at the Indoor Air Quality, Immunity and Health Conference (invited by Alan Hedge)
1996 Mar 4 TASSC has as a science adviser, Michael Pariza , Director of the Food Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is supporting the National Restaurant Association against claims by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) about fatty foods done as part of its National menu Monitoriing program.
TASSC granted a "media manipulation award" to the CSPI for its report warning consumers about nutritional hazards in sandwiches. "It's time for everyone to say 'no' to this junk science", said Garrey Carruthers, chairman of TASSC, "It's time to reject this fear-mongering nonsense." [19]
1997 Mar Steve Milloy took over officially as 'Executive Director' of The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC) . He had previously been hired as the 'behind the scenes contact' who could answer press questions. For a while Garrey Curruthers continued to parade himself as 'President' and 'Founder'.
The so-called Management Board listed in the TASSC letterhead was also sometimes called an "Advisory Board" [Not a SAB], and different listings had different names at different times. George L Carlo's name never appears on the letterhead, but he is listed by APCO (the PR company which ran the operation behind the scenes) as a member of the TASSC Scientific Advisory Board .
This Advisory Board appears to have consisted of a variable list with at least 7 well-known tobacco industry 'consultants', only a few of which were 'scientists':
- Mickey Edwards , Republican politician
- Michael Gough , OTA scientist/dioxin now with Cato Institute (a close Milloy's friend)
- James Steele , ex-Ass. Surgeon General,
- Bruce Ames , Berkeley biochemist, libertarian zealot
- Michael Fumento , journalist-for-hire
- John D Graham , Harvard Center for Risk Analysis
- Lester Lave , Carnegie Mellon economist, HCRA associate,
- M Alice Ottoboni , retired from the Calif Dept of Public Health,
- Frederick Seitz , ex-Rockefeller Uni; professional climate skeptic; Oregon Petition; George C Marshall Institute; SEPP; RJ Reynolds consultant
- Clayton Yeutter , trade representative and Sec of Agriculture; politician for hire.
TASSC's Scientific Advisory Board appears to have been a cabal of think-tank operators, industry supporters and professional corporate lobbyists, including:
- George Carlo , of HES and GEP
- Hugh Ellsaesser , retired meterologist; Lawrence Livermore nuclear labs; George C Marshall Inst.; "Wise Use" group; climate denier
- Patrick Michaels , Uni of Virginia; SEPP; climate skeptic; fossil fuel consultant
- Alan Moghissi , science-for-sale operator; ILSI; ACSH
- Michael Fox , dubious nuclear scientist; newspaper columnist; ACSH; climate denier
- S. Fred Singer , SEPP; ICSE; Heidelberg Appeal; chief climate denier
- Michael Sanera , Barry Goldwater Institute; ALEC; Reagan Admin aide; 'Wise Use' coalition founder,
This summary records the claim that in 1997 Milloy...
- launched a full-scale attack on restrictive air-quality standards, with an full-page ad in The Washington Post signed by 100 physicians and scientists.
- releases an open letter to world leaders signed by 500 physicians and scientists attacking the Kyoto Conference global warming treaty.
- attacked the EPA for its use of guideline standards of epidemiology which are inferior to GEP.
- held a junk-science conference in Phoenix, and a media summit on health scares at the North Carolina State University run by TASSC enthusiast Dr Robert Entman. [Entman was a professor of Journalism. TASSC had previously sponsored his report on The Role of Science in Reporting of Public Health Policy Controversies During 1995. ]
- ran roundtable meetings for lobbyists and a series of editorial board briefings on silicone breast implants, hosted by Dr Elizabeth Connell . [She also travelled to the UK to lobby the new Labor British Health Minister.]
- [Elizabeth Connell was ex-FDA, and Emory Uni. In 2003 she was also a senior counselor for the tort-reform advocacy group Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) funded by Philip Morris. This was a subsidiary of the ATRA 'tort reform/product liability' coalition also run by APCO.]
1999 In Blue Smoke, Mirrors, and Designer Science: How the Public Relations Industry Compromises Democracy by Brian Siano (Skeptic magazine)
The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC), a main source of compliant experts, is an instructive example of the “junk science” debate. Its list of advisors includes pesticide defender Bruce Ames, and global warming critics Fred Singer and Patrick Michaels. The groups’ original leader was Garrey Carruthers, a former governor of New Mexico and undersecretary to former Interior secretary and Second Coming prophet James Watt. [21]
2003 Apr 17 Garrey Carruthers appointed dean of business. State Universty of New Mexico. He is credited as
Garrey E. Carruthers, president of the Cimarron Health Plan, former governor of New Mexico and former faculty member at New Mexico State University, has been appointed dean of the university's College of Business Administration and Economics.
Carruthers, who will start on July 1, "brings years of experience in private industry, public service and higher education administration," said Provost William Flores, the university's chief academic officer.
Dr. Carruthers is a past director of the Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, serves on the boards of New Mexico Business Roundtable for Educational Excellence, New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and on many other organizations that will help him bring national recognition to the College of Business Administration and Economics," Flores said.
Carruthers said he is ìdelighted to be returningî to New Mexico State University. "The college has an excellent faculty and staff," he said. "I look forward to joining this team." Carruthers has been president and CEO of the Cimarron Health Plan since 1993. He served as governor of New Mexico from 1987 to 1990 and was a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business at New Mexico State before running for governor.
Carruthers earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at New Mexico State and got his Ph.D. in economics at Iowa State University in 1968. He joined the NMSU faculty in 1968 and remained at the university until 1985, with interruptions for governmental appointments.
He was an assistant U.S. secretary of the interior from 1981 to 1984. During 1974 and 1975 he served as special assistant to the U.S. secretary of agriculture. From 1976 to 1978 he was director of the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute at NMSU.
He has been president of the New Mexico Association of Health Plans, a member of the New Mexico Education and Accountability Task Force, and co-founder and chairman of the board of the New Mexico Business Roundtable for Educational Excellence. He also is a founding director of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education and a founding board member of Think New Mexico.
Carruthers was selected from a national pool of candidates to head the College of Business Administration and Economics, one of six academic colleges at New Mexico State. The college has an enrollment of more than 2,000 students and has about 70 full-time faculty members in five academic departments. </>
2004 Apr 30 LATEST NEWS Carruthers named to AccessAnytime board by Jason Gil Bear NMBW Staff
Former New Mexico Gov. Garrey Carruthers was elected Friday to a three-year term on the Albuquerque-based Access Anytime BanCorp Inc.'s board of directors. Carruthers will serve as a director and member of the audit committee for the savings and loan company's board.
"We are pleased to announce Dr. Carruthers addition to our board," said Norm Corzine, chairman of the board, in a news release. "His years of experience, education and economic development activities in New Mexico will be of great help to our institution. Our current expansion to the Las Cruces market will be greatly enhanced by his leadership in southern New Mexico."
Carruthers, Ph.D., is the dean of the College of Business Administration and Economics at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. He served as governor of New Mexico from 1987 to 1990.
Access Anytime (Nasdaq: AABC) was established in 1934 and has offices in Albuquerque, Clovis, Gallup and Portales. The 70-year-company went public in the early 1980s and employs more than 100 people statewide.
