May 23, 2012

Stanton A. Glantz, PhD

After Big Tobacco spends $40 million, Prop 29 is still winning by 11 points

The widely-respected nonpartisan Public Policy Policy Institute of California just released a poll showing that Prop 29 is winning with 53 percent of voters planning to cote yes compared to 42 percent "no."  While this is about a 10 point drop in the yes vote compared to where things were before Philip Morris and Reynolds dumped $40 million into California trying to bury the campaign, the fact that 29 is still ahead shows that most of the people are still not buying the lies.

In addition, while the Yes campaign has been on the air with its ads, it has had nowhere near the money that the tobacco companies have dumped into the campaign.  Things are going to get a little more balanced in light of the big contribution the American Cancer Society just made, which, combined with other donations, has allowed the Yes side to get its media up around the state.

The San Jose Mercury News  reported a sneaky trick that the cigarette companies used to try and make it look like somebody other than them was supporting the No campaign:

"In addition to the TV ads, the No on 29 campaign has relied on mail fliers sent out by the California Republican Party. The $1.1 million effort -- which includes the cost of production and distribution -- is classified as an in-kind contribution from the party, but it was made possible by $825,000 in donations to the party from the No on 29 campaign.

"That raised the eyebrows of opponents, who said it was another example of tobacco companies disguising their influence in the campaign. Though they have
donated virtually all the money to the No on 29 campaign, tobacco companies have taken a low profile, allowing anti-tax groups to take the lead.

"The No on 29 campaign appears to have skirted campaign finance law by giving the money to the Republican Party to distribute the fliers, said Lance Olson, an attorney for the measure's proponents.

"They could've mailed it themselves, but if they did, they would have had to disclose their major funders," Olson said. "Instead, they gave it to the Republican Party, and the result was avoidance of disclosure."

"A spokeswoman for the opposition campaign, however, denied there was any attempt to mislead."

I say:  Typical Republican Party money laundering.  The AG should investigate.

 

 

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