Posted by This is a list of the documents that detail the astroturf campaign conducted by the Alexis de Tocqueville Institute (ADTI) on behalf of Philip Morris (PM) against the Clinton health plan in 1994. They were obtained by a search for “fname: anti-tax” in the Philip Morris documents archive. ADTI’s summary of their activities is here.
| Doc id | Date | Description | Extract |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2073011705 | Feb 4 | Note from Derek Crawford to David Nicoli about meetings with anti-tax groups on Feb 7 | Mac Carey — Alexis de Tocqueville Foundation 11 a.m. (their place) |
| 2073011706 | Feb 9 | Cover note from David Nicoli to Buffy for ADTI proposed campaign against Clinton Plan | Attached is a proposal from one of the anti-tax groups I met with. Derek will handle the funding, which will be much less than they ask for. I will keep on them to get them targeted in the right CDs. |
| 2073011707/1708 | Feb 8 | Letter from Merrick Carey, president of ADTI to David Nicoli, Legislative Counsel of PM proposing to undertake a campaign against the Clinton health plan. Attachment to previous document. | Our three key executives, Cesar Conda, Bruce Bartlett and myself, will run this campaign and we will devote the full energies of our operation and its consultants to this task. We plan to activate our key Advisory Board Members, including Jack Kemp, Robert Kasten, Dick Armey, Michael Boskin and others to mount a public awareness campaign immediately (see enclosed list of Center on Regulation and Economic Growth participants). As you can see from our press in recent months, we are in a position to deliver. We would like to request $60,000, or $30,000 a month, to implement this program. |
| 2073011709/1710 | Feb 8 | Attached list of ADTI advisory board members | Robert Caldwell, The San Diego Union-Tribune |
| 2073011703E/1704 | Feb 9 | Email from Craig Fuller suggesting that PM start a letter writing campaign | Having just read the Washington Post with a series of provocative articles about Canada cutting taxes, CBO estimating higher costs AND job loss from the Clinton plan and then our old favourite, former president current home builder, Jimmy Carter explaining why higher taxes will help tobacco farmers, it occurred to me that we ought to turn a few of our better letter writers loose to blitz the targeted states with letters to the editor about Clinton, Carter and Canada… |
| 2073011703C | Feb 9 | Reply from Derek Crawford | David N & I think the Alexis de Tocqueville Institute is perfect for this kind of thing. We are working with them on a proposal. |
| 2073011703A | Feb 9 | Reply from Kathleen Linehan to David Nicoli | who else will be worth funding from your discussions? |
| 2073011703 | Feb 9 | Email from David Nicoli listing some more possible groups that could be paid to write letters advancing Philip Morris’ agenda. | (Marginal note) DPN – What’s bottom line on 3rd party groups?? + $$ |
| 2073011671/1673 | Feb 22 | Letter from Carey to Nicoli listing places where attached memorandum from Bruce Bartlett has been sent. | In addition, Kevin Stach at Empower America is arranging for it to go to 600+ radio talk show hosts across the country. |
| 2073011674/1675 | Feb 22 | Attached memorandum from Bartlett | … the effect of the plan would be to increase federal taxes by over 27 percent. … A tax increase of this magnitude during peacetime is unprecedented in American history. |
| 2073011680 | Feb 24 | Fax cover sheet from Carey to Nicoli for following Empower America tip sheet. | This goes to 650 radio stations around the country tonight. |
| 2073011681 | Feb 24 | Empower America tip sheet based on Bartlett’s memo | A peacetime tax increase of this magnitude is unprecedented in American history. | 2073011677 | Feb 24 | Letter from Carey to Nicoli | Rep Wayne Allard (R-Co) will be circulating BB health care taxes via “Dear Colleague”. Also, he will be organizing a “special order” — one minute speeches by a gang of 5-10 Congressman to talk about the tax issue. |
| 2073011676 | Feb 23 | News story in Washington Times attacking Clinton plan | an analysis prepared for the Alexis do Tocqueville Institution, a bipartisan economic think tank, said the plan would “increase federal taxes by over 27 percent” by 2004. |
| 2073011682 | Feb 28 | Letter from Carey to Nicoli detailing ADTI’s latest efforts | Empower America is mailing the Bruce Bartlett health tax increase essay to all its members in swing Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means districts, including all those on your list. |
| 2073011683 | Feb 28 | Attached RNC newsletter | According to the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution, an economic think-tank in Northern Virginia, the Clinton health care plan would increase federal taxes by — are you sitting down? — 27 percent over the next ten years! Gadzooks! |
| 2073011684 | Mar 2 | Progress report from Carey to Nicoli | We are drafting an op-ed for Jack Kemp on this issue to attempt to place in one of the big three papers. |
| 2073011685 | Mar 8 | Cover letter from Nicoli to Buffy for following four documents | Attached is update on de Tocqueville anti-tax activities against Clinton plan. They are making some noise – the Washington Times piece is good. |
| 2073011686 | Mar 7 | Report from Carey to Nicoli | All key media outlets in the Dallas area will be hit today with the Bartlett health care tax increase “Issue Briefs”. |
| 2073011687/1689 | Mar 3 | Issue Memorandum by Bruce Bartlett | there are also many additional tax increases in the [Clinton] plan. |
| 2073011690 | Mar 7 | Washington Times op-ed by Bruce Bartlett | Title: “How to quadruple federal revenue” Body: “Federal revenues, however, would not quadruple…” |
| 2073011691 | Mar 3 | Letter from Carey to Robert Caldwell, Editorial Page Editor, The San Diego Union Tribune | Congresswoman Lynn Schenk is one of 5 key swing Democratic health care votes in the Energy and Commerce Committee. There is reason to believe she is looking for reasons to vote against Clinton, and there is reason to believe that she can be spooked on the tax issue, especially after her 1993 Budget vote. An editorial from the most important paper in her district urging her to do the right thing for the right reason would obviously have a huge impact, and could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. |
| 2073011692 | Mar 8 | Fax cover from Cesar Conda to Nicoli for following document | “Dear Colleague” as arranged — full distribution to House and Senate |
| 2073011693 | Mar 8 | “Dear Colleague” letter from Wayne Allard | The Clinton health reform plan would be by far the largest tax increase in history. By the year 2004, when the proposal is fully implemented, federal tax revenues will have increased by more than 27 percent above currently forecast levels. |
| 2073011697 | Mar 15 | Bureau of National Affairs report on Allard’s letter | House Budget Committee member Wayne Allard (R-Colo) warned colleagues in a March 8 letter against the “massive level of new taxes” he said is contained in the Clinton health plan. |
| 2073011698 | Mar 16 | Letter from Carey to Nicoli | We wrote an article for Jack Kemp that will appear in the LA Times in the next few days. Among other things, it will blast the health care tax increases. |
| 2022887066/7072 | Mar | Tobacco Strategy | We are currently working with ADTI in media placement in key legislative districts, i.e. those of House Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means Committee members. |
| 2022887003/7033 | Mar 22 | Tobacco Strategy Review | Multiple grass roots efforts are underway to bring maximum pressure on targeted members of congress who are engaged in the process of shaping the health care legislation and the financing package. |
| 2072007359/7360 | Jun 13 | Study by Bartlett attacking proposed tobacco tax | The prime beneficiaries of a major tax hike on tobacco will be organized crime and a smoldering underground economy |
| 2047992372/2374 | Feb 10 1995 | Plan to attack the FDA | Objectives: B. Short-term – To quarterback behind the scenes, third party efforts to launch, publicize and execute a broad non-tobacco-based attack on the many failings of the FDA 3. Op-eds – Need as broad a coverage as possible. Work with Borelli, de Tocqueville, other groups to encourage wave of this activity. |
| 2074063304/3332 | Jun 1996 | Ten worst regulations of the Federal Government | Ideology is driving science to compromise and make inaccurate conclusions favoring specific policy objectives concerning environmental tobacco smoke. |
June 13, 2004
June 30, 2004