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Lee J Alston

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Please notify your lobbyists as to the availability of these people. At the same time, you may wish to ask them for their ideas or suggestions for other economists within their states. </i></BLOCKQUOTE> This economist will be detailed to make the contact with Congressmen by sending him/them the published op-ed. <BLOCKQUOTE> <B> MASSACHUSETTS</B> (Rep. Donnelly)<br> &nbsp; &bull; &nbsp; <B> Professor Lee Alston</B> William College, Williamstown, Massachusetts. [http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/fey91f00/pdf]
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<b>1985 June 21 </B> [[James Savarese]] submits his bill to the Tobacco Institute for both the op-eds written by his network, but also for their attendance at society meetings where they also promote the tobacco industry's position. <BLOCKQUOTE> <UL> <li> <B>Op Ed Project</B> - $1000 each 'professional fees'<br>for Abrams, <u>Alston,</u> Armentano, Harper-Fender, T Anderson, Denzau, Bohanon, Jadlow, Wagner and Menchik.
<li> <B>Southwest Social Science Meeting</B> -- Houston <UL> <li> Keith Watson ($1,000),
<li> RB Ekelund Jr ($2,003)
<li> Joseph Jadlow ($2,605),
<li> Richard Wagner ($2,716)
<li> Robert D Tollison ($5,000)
<li> Henry N Butler ($2,070) </UL>
<li> <B>Eastern Economic Assoc, Meeting</B> -- Pittsburgh
<UL> <li> George E Hoffer ($1,431)
<li> Gary M Anderson ($2,450)
<li> Robert D Tollison ($6,375)
<li> Bill Shurghart III ($2,529)
<li> Michael D Pratt ($1,288)
<li> John H Bowman ($1,000) [http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/xrc78b00/pdf] </UL> </UL> </BLOCKQUOTE>
 
 
{{1985-96PackwoodC4C}}
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<b>1987 Jun 3</b> Memo on <B> "Economic Witness Evaluation" </B> from [[Dennis Dyer]] of the New England division of Tobacco Institute to his superior, [[George Minshew]] giving his impressions of the mercenary lobbyists/academics. <BLOCKQUOTE>>I> The Public Relations Division has identified six economists in New England who appear willing to work with us on our tobacco-related issues. In April another economist was identified and subsequently contacted -- Professor [[Simon Rottenberg]], University of Massachusetts at Amherst. During the past three years, I have had an opportunity to meet and work with the designated economic witnesses in Maine (Professor [[Robert McMahon]]) and New Hampshire (Professor [[Dennis Logue]]).
<UL> <li> Professor McMahon reviewed and <u>agreed to "author"</u> <font color=green>[his quotes]</font> an economic impact study on the effects of a public smoking bill in Maine. He presented testimony at two worksessions and conducted a limited number of one-on-one briefings. The bill was defeated.
<li> Professor Logue testified on a broad workplace bill. In conjunction with this testimony, he submitted an economic impact study <u>prepared by Jim Savarese</u>. The bill was enacted.</UL><font color=green>
: [This is an unequivocal statement that these academics allowed their names to be attached as 'authors' to propaganda and pseudo-research prepared by the tobacco industry in order to deceive legislators.]</font>
 
On February 24 I contacted each of the identified economists in the region by letter (Attachment B). In each instance I provided the economist with three examples of Tl-generated economic impact studies and asked for their initial impressions and recommendations.<br><font color=green>
: [He was, in effect, asking them whether they would put their names to this pseudo-research]</font>
 
Three of the seven economists responded (Attachments C-l through C-3). With the exception of Professor [[Celeste Gaspari]] from Vermont, the other two seem to continue their interest. Only Professor Logue chose to give even the briefest of responses to my inquiry.
 
Follow-up conversations with all of the identified economists indicate a general willingness to be involved but a lack of real understanding as to what our requirements might be. </i></BLOCKQUOTE> This was a variation on the tobacco industry's standard technique for recruiting scientists and academics. Before they were formally commissioned, they must first prove that they were aligned to, and aware of the industry requirements by turning in written commentary which shows that they support the industry's pro-tobacco position.
 
Dyer has a plan for more effectively use of these economists, nationwide. He also includes the full multi-page resume of Professor [[Dominick T Armento]] (see table above) who has since proved to be one of their most successful recruits.
 
'''Various attachments to this document'''<br>
* On Page 44 there is a copy of Dyer's letter to Armentano. The Professor had been previously contacted by Jim Savarese and this was the follow-up letter arranging a formal review of some literature (to ascertain his opinions re smoking) and to arrange a meeting for recruitment discussion. This letter has been prominently labeled: "**SAMPLE LETTER TO ECONOMIC WITNESSES**" </i>
:*<B> Attachment 1. </B> Page 15 is a pro-industry article [[Dominick Armentano]] has written in the ''Hartford Courant'', <B> "Cigarette taxes flunk on fairness" </B>
:* <B> Attachment 2. </B> Page 16 is the resume of [[Robert C McMahon]], who is an Associate Professor of Economics at the USM.
:* <B> Attachment 3. </B> Page 19 is the resume of [[Lee J Alston]], Assisant Professor of Economics at Williams College and a private consultant to an unnamed law firm. [He was at the time in Australia on leave - see reply page 45]
:* <B> Attachment 4. </B> Page 24 is the resume of [[Dennis E Logue]] of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. He is at Georgetown University at this time, and he replies (Page 46) favourably reviewing the literature he has been sent, and suggesting lines of defense for the industry.
:* <B> Attachment 5. </B> Page 32 is the resume of [[Arthur C Mead]], Assistant Professor at the University of Rhode Island. He didn't reply to the TI request that he review their literature and comment on the economic case.
:* <B> Attachment 6. </B> Page 37 is the resume of [[K Celeste Gaspari]], Assistant Professor of Economics, University of Vermont. She replies (Page 48) saying she is still waiting <U>for the annual $1000 retainer she was promised</u>, and is disappointed with the Tobacco Institute. She won't work with them if this is the way they do business. <BLOCKQUOTE><I> I will reiterate my disappointment with the Tobacco Institute. It is true I never had a written agreement with the Institute &mdash;we only spoke over the phone. I did, however naively, trust that a verbal agreement with a prestigious institute was as good as a formal contract. I was evidently mistaken. <br>In answer to your letter, I am not interested in working with your group at this time if this is the way you do business. </i></BLOCKQUOTE>
:* <B> Attachment 7. </B> Page 40 is the resume of [[William F Shughart]] II, ex Special Assistant to the Director, Bureau of Economics at the FTC, and now an Associate Professor at Clemson University. [http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/qen34b00/pdf]</UL><font color=green>
:: [Shughart apparently didn't reply on paper -- but he was a long-term lackey who seems to have assumed control of the network economists when they split from Tollison and Savarese and migrated the network to the [[Independent Institute]].</font>
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<b>1988 Mar 31</b> James Savarese's list of potential reviewers for the tobacco-funded book by Tollison & Wagner "Smoking and the State". The economists in every state were given a targeted newspaper to send a review of the book for publication. [http://industrydocuments.library.ucsf.edu/tobacco/docs/pycv0050] There was also a sample piece by [[William Mitchel]]l so they didn't need to read the book
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<b>1988 - 2002</b>, Professor of Economics, Political Science and the Institute for Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois
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<b>1996 - 1999</b> Alston was the Director of the Center for International Business Education and Research at the University of Illinois
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<b>2002</b> Joined University of Colorado at Boulder
==References==
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