Harkin: Still Too Many Unanswered Questions in DOJ Case Against Big Tobacco

HARKIN: STILL TOO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS IN DOJ CASE AGAINST BIG TOBACCO

The U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) Office of Professional Responsibility has concluded their investigation into allegations of political interference in the DOJ led litigation of United States v. Philip Morris USA Inc. The investigation cleared Mr. Robert McCallum of any professional misconduct or exercising poor judgment. However, it failed to answer many questions.

"Unfortunately, this investigation ignored too many key questions and doesn't even begin to scratch the surface. It's still unclear why political appointees, despite the objections of DOJ's lead career attorneys, intervened in this matter and chose to put the tobacco companies' financial interests ahead of the health interests of hundreds of thousands of Americans.

"I have said all along that the remedies sought in this case should have been based on facts and expert testimony of the Department's own witnesses, not politics. The facts are clear, convincing and simple. Big tobacco companies spent decades—and billions of dollars—misleading the American people in order to hook them on a deadly habit that kills 400,000 Americans each and every year. They must face the consequences.

"It is imperative that the Senate demand that Mr. McCallum provide real explanations about this abrupt reversal when his nomination to be Ambassador to Australia is considered by the Senate."

http://harkin.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=256608