Big Tobacco and Government: Hand in Hand

Nov. 23, 2005 — -- Forty years have passed since cigarettes were first linked to cancer. Yet there is still no federal law to require the cigarette industry to reveal what chemicals and additives are mixed in with the tobacco.

"Tobacco remains the least regulated product that Americans consume," said Matt Myers of the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids.

"What has changed over the years is that no member of Congress wants to be associated with a tobacco company, but that doesn't mean they won't take their campaign contributions, fly on their jets and do their bidding behind closed doors," Myers said.

It has been 11 years since the House of Representatives held a hearing on the dangers of tobacco. At that time, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., placed the CEOs of the tobacco companies under oath. Since then, Republicans, under the leadership of Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, have been in control.

"The investment the tobacco companies have made in Tom DeLay and the Republicans is paying off splendidly for them," Waxman said.

Parties and Funds

Those investments have included lavish parties at convention time, millions of dollars in contributions and the use of corporate jets for powerful members of Congress. When DeLay was arraigned in a Texas court last month on criminal charges, he flew there on a jet provided by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

DeLay has boasted that he was the one who killed the last legislative effort to have the government regulate cigarettes in a bill that R.J. Reynolds said would put it out of business.

In light of DeLay's recent indictment, Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., has taken over as majority leader of the House. Like DeLay, Blunt is well-connected to the tobacco industry. His wife is a top lobbyist for Philip Morris' parent company, and his son also lobbies for Philip Morris. Neither DeLay nor Blunt agreed to be interviewed for this story.

ABC News' Rhonda Schwartz, Maddy Sauer, Jill Rackmill and Dana Hughes contributed to this report.