Gillibrand and big tobacco

The Albany Times-Union is reporting this week on Democratic Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand’s ties to tobacco company Phillip Morris.

As an attorney, Gillibrand represented the firm for five years as the company fought civil and criminal legal battles against its critics.

According to the T-U, those connections continue to pay dividends for Gillibrand:

Today, the company and its executives continue to count her as a friend, donating at least $23,200 to her current campaign, public records show.

The revelations were first reported in a conservative on-line blog.

Other Democrats, including Rep. Mike McNulty (D-Green Island), said they would be uncomfortable taking tobacco contributions.

In contrast, her neighbor, Congressman Michael McNulty, D-Green Island, received just one $500 check from the company during his 20-year career. He sent the money back.

“I didn’t want to take money from a tobacco company,” McNulty said.

But the Times-Union also reports that Gillibrand voted against big tobacco on every piece of legislation that she’s faced.

Gillibrand “voted in favor of all three bills pushed by anti-tobacco lobbyists and passed by the House of Representatives.”

Gillibrand receives high marks from anti-tobacco activists.

Read the full write-up here:

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=729940