Gus Weill
 |
This article is part of the Center for Media & Democracy's spotlight on front groups and corporate spin. |
 |
This article is part of the Tobacco portal on Sourcewatch funded from 2006 - 2009 by the American Legacy Foundation. |
Gus Weill was the Vice President of the polling firm Penn + Schoen Associates in 1989. (The company later became known as Penn, Schoen and Berland.)
A biographical note included in a pitch for polling work to the R.J. Reynolds tobacco company stated that Weill:
- "is a graduate of Louisiana State University. He has served as campaign press secretary to Andrew Stein, and as New York press secretary for Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. At Penn + Schoen, Mr Weill has worked on a wide range of projects including studies for Texaco, the government of Bermuda, and the New York State Department of Economic Development". [1]
Tobacco industry work
An August 1989 memo penned by Weill (on behalf of Penn + Schoen) to Elizabeth Veanus of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company described the firm's plans to conduct focus groups in Harlem, New York, on behalf of the tobacco company. Page 4 of the memo stated: [2]
- Our goal in conducting these focus groups is identical to your goal in entering Harlem: to get smokers' rights groups up and running with utmost speed and effectiveness.
Gus Weill also assisted with Philip Morris' tort reform project.[3]
References
- ↑ Gus Weill, "Harlem Focus Groups", Bates Number 507687762, August 18, 1989.
- ↑ "Harlem Focus Groups," August 18, 1989 memo, RJ Reynolds collection, via Legacy Tobacco Documents Library.
- ↑ Louisiana Tort Project-Update Robinson, B. Report. Philip Morris. July 14, 1993. Bates No. 2062364082/4084
SourceWatch resources
| This article is a stub. You can help by expanding it. |
