Template:2004MSA

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2004: During the mid-term elections of President George W Bush the US tobacco companies donated $2.7 million to the Republicans and $938,000 to the Democrats.

The battle over the RICO charge continued. There is a fascinating 100 page court document that spells out the claims that were being made as part of this racketeering charge. [1]

2005 June: After more than five years of preparation by US Associate Attorney General, Robert McCallum, the US District Court judge Gladys Kessler heard that the Bush Administration would not even seek the (now-revised-down from $370 billion) $130 billion penalty payable over 25 years imposed on them, but rather $10 billion payable over 5 years, to run quit-smoking programs. 2006 Aug 17 Part of the Final Opinion of Justice Gladys Kessler, US District Court of Columbia (Washington DC) in the Department of Justice's RICO case against Philip Morris and the other tobacco companies (filed by the Clinton Administration). This was the $280 billion racketeering case filed by the US government. The law under which the government is pursuing its claim essentially labels the tobacco companies as criminal enterprises. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) was put in place in 1970 to combat Mafia families.[2] [3]