BIG TOBACCO FIGHTS BAN
Erie County Council won't delay the Feb. 17 start of the
countywide smoking ban, but a newly formed local group still
hopes to snuff it out - with Big Tobacco's help.
County Councilman Ron Cleaver decided Thursday to drop his plans
to seek a delay in the start of ban until May 1.
Cleaver made the decision after he could not line up any support
for action on the delay at council's meeting scheduled Tuesday.
"If there is no support, I'm not going to bring it up for
debate," Cleaver said.
But local tavern owners and others have agreed to form a
pro-smoking group, the Freedom to Choose Coalition, and have
hired an Erie lawyer, Eric Purchase, to file a lawsuit to stop
the ban, said Gil Rocco, coalition president.
"We're moving forward with the litigation," Rocco said.
The coalition may be joined in the lawsuit by the Erie County
Federation of Clubs, said lawyer Dave Mack, who represents the
federation. . . .
Rocco said the coalition is in touch with lawyers for tobacco
giant R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. The Winston-Salem, N.C.-based
company is providing the coalition research and other
assistance.
"They are involved right now," he said. "They will be
involved."
While R.J. Reynolds is footing the bill for a lawsuit in
Allegheny County over the smoking ban there, the tobacco company
"may or may not" provide funding for the Erie County group, he
said.
