Democrats urge Justice Department to appeal tobacco ruling
Fifteen Democratic senators have urged U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to pursue an appeal of the federal court ruling in the Department of Justice's civil racketeering case against tobacco companies.
In August, U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler ruled that tobacco companies, including Greensboro's Lorillard Tobacco Co. (NYSE: CG) and Winston-Salem's R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., had conspired to deceive Americans about the health risks of tobacco over several decades. R.J. Reynolds is a subsidiary of Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI).
While Kessler's lengthy ruling ordered tobacco companies to stop using certain terms, such as "light" and "low tar" in their marketing, she also said that she didn't have the authority impose financial penalties against the companies.
The Sept. 20 letter, sent by 15 leading Democratic senators, urges Gonzales to appeal the parts of Kessler's ruling that concluded she couldn't impose financial penalties. Among those signing the letter are Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Democratic Senate Leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada.
The tobacco companies plan to appeal Kessler's decision.
