Tobacco firms seek to weaken smoking ban

SPRINGFIELD -- Tobacco companies have stepped up their efforts to scale back the statewide smoking ban and ward off efforts to nearly double Illinois' cigarette tax.

In the four weeks before the Feb. 5 primary election, two tobacco giants contributed $83,000 to 30 lawmakers, the Chicago Tribune reports in its Wednesday editions. About three-quarters of that money went to House Democrats.

"We've been the whipping boy for a number of (legislative) sessions now . . . so we decided this year that we are going to participate in the process more heavily," said lobbyist John O'Connell, a former lawmaker who represents cigarette giant Reynolds American Inc. "We are still a legal industry. And it is a legal product."

The tobacco companies are attempting to influence legislation that would allow indoor smoking at many bars, riverboat casinos, strip clubs and American Legion halls. Though some House members have been pushing for exemptions to the smoking ban since May, those bills were bottled up until Feb. 6.

Rep. Randy Ramey Jr. (R- Carol Stream) said he didn't think his bill, which would lift the smoking ban for thousands of private clubs and businesses, would get consideration considering the anti-smoking fervor that has gripped the Statehouse.

Ramey said it is possible the bill's fate was helped by campaign contributions Reynolds American made to three committee members just a week before the vote.

The biggest recipient was Rep. Art Turner (D- Chicago), who received $14,000 on Jan. 26 and later voted to advance the smoking exemption bills along with dozens of others in a single motion. Turner said the campaign cash did not influence his vote on the smoking ban exemptions.

"No one who has known me over my 28-year period in the House can accuse me of taking money and voting for an issue because of the size of their contribution," said Turner, who voted against the smoking ban last year. "I think I have allowed access to pretty much everybody."

House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), who received $10,000 in January from Altria, another tobacco giant.

Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said the speaker allows bills to advance even when he opposes them so that House members have a chance to publicly debate their merits. Brown said Madigan, who supported the smoking ban, has not taken a position on creating exemptions to it.

Tobacco lobbyists said they believe the real fight this year may involve a proposed increase in the cigarette tax.

The Senate approved a 90-cent hike in August that would nearly double the state tax to $1.88 per pack, but the measure stalled in the House. In July, Gov. Rod Blagojevich endorsed a major cigarette tax hike to provide more money for education or health care.