Anne Landman's Collection
10 Month Update
Abstract
This is a 1996 memo from the tobacco industry-funded policy group called "Frontiers of Freedom." Frontiers of Freedom was created by Malcolm Wallop, a Republican ex-Senator from Wyoming. In this memo, Jeff Taylor of Frontiers writes to Alexander Spears of Lorillard to solicit funding. Taylor describes the activities in which Frontiers of Freedom engaged to attack the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's efforts to regulate the tobacco industry. The memo also shows how Frontiers managed to generate a clamor among Congressmembers for the praise of the relatively new group. Wallop writes, "One sure gauge of our growth took place recently when we presented 15 members of Congress with our 'Defender of Freedom' award. When we returned to the office, we had calls from a handful of other Members asking why they had not been recognized by Frontiers."
One of the "Achievements" Frontiers lists for 1996 was Wallop's guest-hosting of the Armstrong Williams talk show. Armstrong Williams was recently revealed to have accepted $240,000 in taxpayer funds from the Bush administration to comment positively on his show about Bush's "No Child Left Behind" education act. A USA Today article about the scandal can be seen at http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-01-06-williams-whitehouse_x.htm
Other policy topics on which Frontiers of Freedom was active include privatizing Social Security, privacy and anti-terrorism legislation (and, ironically, this was all back in 1996).
Fields
- Quotes
...One sure guage of our growth took place recently when we presented 15 members of Congress with our Defender of Freedom Award. When we returned to the office, we had calls from a handful of other Members asking why they had not been recognized by Frontiers.
I know that you have already received a formal proposal regarding a corporate contribution from Lorillard to Frontiers. I would like to ask you to take a close look at how far and fast we have grown. The Frontiers Team has taken on controversial projects that more seasoned organizations have passed up.
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you.
LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS of FRONTIERS OF FREEDOM in 1996
--IN January, Senator Wallop gues hosted for radio talk show host Armstrong Williams. The three hour show featured one hour on the FDA rule on tobacco and its abridgment of First Amendment rights, one hour on privatizing Social Security with the argument that Social Security is a property right -- the fruits on one's own labor, and one hour on the anti-terrorism debate and privacy rights.
- Company
- Lorillard
- Author
- Taylor, Jeff (Frontiers of Freedom public policy group)Tobacco Industry funded group
- Wallop, Malcolm (Retired senator from Wyoming)Formed conservative think tank, Frontiers of Freedom
- Recipient
- Spears, Alexander White, III (LOR President & CEO)Associated with CTR, used as an expert in the Mississippi case.
- Region
- United States
- Named Organization
- 700 Club
- AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor/Congress of Industrial Organiza)Labor Union
- American Civil Liberties Union
- American Conservative Union
- American Farm Bureau Federation
- Armstrong Williams
- Cato Institute (Pro-industry think-tank)
- Chris Matthews Show
- Christian Broadcasting Network
- Christian Coalition
- Clear View
- CNBC
- Comm for A Conservative Platform
- Congress
- Defenders of Wildlife
- Democratic Natl Convention
- Empower America
- Energy + Natural Resources Comm
- Environmental Policy Task Force
- United States Food and Drug Administration
- Federal Election Commission
- Frontiers of Freedom (Pro-industry group)Formed by ex-Sen. Malcolm Wallop (R-WY). Wallop received funding from the tobacco industry to promote their views.
- *Health and Human Services (use United States Department of Health and Human Ser
- Insight
- Investors Business Daily
- Natl Assn of Homebuilders
- Newstalk Tv
- National Rifle Association (Aggressive pro-gun lobby in U.S.,)The NRA was admired by Philip Morris management and often cited as a template for carrying out effective pro-industry activities in which a corporation itself could not legitimately engage; Formed the template for the National Smokers Association (PM's smokers' rights group)
- Pbss Technopolitics
- Republican Natl Convention
- Republican Platform Comm
- Resources Comm
- Samhsa
- Sierra Club
- Speakers Task Force
- States
- Supreme Court
- Task Force on the Environment
- Town Hall
- UN,United Nations
- Wall Street Journal
- Western States Coalition
- Litigation
- Feda/Produced
- Named Person
- Abraham, S.
- Allard
- Anderson, S.
- Barr
- Beck
- Bennett, W.
- Boehlert, S.
- Brownback, S.
- Browner, Carol (EPA Administrator, became head of EPA)
- Chabot
- Chabot, S.
- Chenoweth
- Chrysler
- Clinton
- Coburn
- Cubin
- Detmer, J.
- Dunn
- Ebell, M.
- Gingrich
- Hall
- Hayworth
- Hutchinson
- Kemp, J.
- Kessler
- Longley
- Nickles, D.
- Pombo
- Shadegg
- Shlickheiser, R.
- Tate
- Taylor, J.
- Wallop, M.
- Woolsey, J.
- Spears, A.W.
- Stevens, A.J.
- Type
- MEMO, MEMORANDUM
- REPT, OTHER REPORT
- Subject
- Front groups
- industry activity
- industry influence
Document Images
',Q'O'CT 93 f'96 04: 1aPM LORILL~p1TOBRCCO R~~ a
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On September 28',~Frontiers of Freedom awarded 15 Members of Congress
their Defiender of Freedom Award for their actions and votes in preserving
Constitutional rights. The award recipients were: U.S. Reps, Cobum (OK),
Hutchinson (AR), Allard (CO), Hall (TX), Dunn (WA), Taylor (NC), Chenoweth
(1D), Chabot (OH), Tate (WA), 6arr (GA), Chrysler (MI), Hayworth (AZ),
9rownback (KS), Cubin (WY), Longley (ME).
On October 1, Myron EbeU was featured on NET's Grsen Scam to discuss
environmental and proper#y rights legislation in the final weeks of the 104th
Congress and a preview or the 10Sth,
. On October 2, we hosted an issues briefing to discuss new energy Issues and
policy. The meeting featured Senator Don Nickles, U.S, Senate Majority Whip.
The briefing focused on property rights vloiations, impediments to pro-growth
initiatives, regulations which directly affect the industry's free market potential,
and other initiatives which would influence the energy industry.
Over the past nine months, Frontiers of Freedom has made a special effort to
implement a"communicatlonslpress" aspect to Its mission. This aspect includes
making ourselves available tor press Intervlews, radio and television talk shows
and writing op-eds. Senator Wallop, Myron Ebeil and Jeff Taylor and members
of our Soard have made it a point to add a press aspect to each and every
action. '
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List of Achieuemenes of Fronti rs of Freedom in 1996
In January, Senator Wallop guest hosted for radio talk show host_
Armstrong Williams. The three hour show featured one hour on
the FDA rule on tobacco and its abridgment of First Amendment
rights, one on hour privatizing Social Security with the'argument
that Social Security is a properly right - the fruits of one's own
labor, and one hour oh the anti-terrorism debate and privacy
rights.
In January, we sponsored a briefing on Capitol Hill on pending
anti.terrorism legislation before the U.S. House of
Representatives that would, among others things, increase
enhanced federal wiretapping authority, allow for the deportatlon
of people with secret evidence, and reduce the level of probable
cause to reeson to believe_ The briefing was held for Hill staffers.
although ten Members of Congress attended to give their
thoughts on the bill, We hosted the event with the American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU) to show that both conservatives and
liberals were concerned about the tenor of the debate.
In mid-January, we organized a Capitol Hill press conference
before a House Resources Committee hearing on the
Endangered Species Act In order to highlight the testimony of
three ESA victims. Senator Wallop led a group in opposition that
included the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National
Association of Homebullders.
Also, in January, executive director Jeff Taylor was featured on
the Christlan 8roadcas6ng Networlr's (CBN) 700 Club to talk
,
about the anti-terrorism debate and limiting__ federal law.
enforcement in state and local-mafters. ---- ~--
. in February, Senator Wallop was interviewed for a video news
release lambasting the Food and Drug Administration for its
usurpation of citizens rights. He cited the Virginia case of the
FDA taking experimental 4rugs away from a tenninafly iil woman,
because the drugs "could be harmful." He also took the oecasion
to condemn the FDA's, rule affecting the tobacco industry noting
that such an abridgment of First Amendment rights would lead'to
the advertisement banning of other legal industries in America.
He called on Commissioner Kessler to stop persecuting a legal
American industry.
In February and March, we organized a coalition' concerned with
National Heritage Areas legislation and sent a letter outlining our
concerns, signed by 110 organizations, to m@trrbers of the House
Resources Committee and the Senate E iergy and Natural
Resources Committee. Our policy director, Myron Ebell, testified
before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in
opposition to this legislation.
''~GGCT 93 '96 94 ~ 09PM LGRILLf~@D 'TOBACCO"REEDQM " . P 3 83
In April, Congressmen Sam Brownback (KS) and Steve Chabot (OH) asked our
chairman, Senator Malcolm Wallop, to lead a br'iefing on immigration reform and
the national ID card Initiative. The briofing was attended by Members of
Congress and their staff. Senator Wallop, Jack Kemp, William Bennett and
Senator Spencer Abraham published an immigration reform manifesto that
appeared in The Wa0 Street Journal. Additional works include an op-ed by
Senator Wallop and Stuart Andarson, policy analyst for the Cato Institute, on
immigration that was pubiished in a number of newspapers across the country.
On Earth Oay, Myron t:bell appeared on the Politics with Chrfs Matthews Show
to debate environmental issues and policies with EPA Administrator Caroi
Browner,
. In May, Myron Ebell debated the president of Defenders of Wildlife, Roger
Shlickheiser, over reintroducing wolves In Wyoming, Montana end Idaho on
PBS's Technopolltics.
. In June, Senator Wallop delivered the keynote address to the Westem States
Coalition meeting in Casper, Wyoming. Before a number of local county, state
and federal elected officials, the Senator highlighted, the need for states' rights,
federal land reform and strengthening property rights. In A Clear View, a
publication by a liberal environmental group, the Senator's speech was called
"by far the most popular of the conference."
in mid-June, Jeff Taylor had the opportunity to debate on News7alk TV the
subject of privacy rights provisions in the antiterrorism bill.
. In July, Frontiers of Freedom went on-line with a page on the world wide web.
Our site address is: httpalwww.ff.org. Since its Introduction, we have averaged
approximately 3,000 hits per week. Town Hall, the company which services our
site, contends that 3,000 hits per week puts us substantially ahead of larger and
older groups and slightly behind groups the size of Empower America. !n
August, we hired a communications asslstant to service our site internally and
write and produce our newsletter on a monthly basis. The first issue will be
putilished shortly.
In July, Frontiers of Freedom, the Environmental Policy Task Force, and
numerous other grassroots advocacy groups, sent a letter to Speaker Gingfich
asking him to recommit himself to environmentai reform. The letter was picked
up by the liberal media as an attack on Speaker Gingrich when, in fact, it was
simply a letter encouraging him to follow the guidance of Representatives
Shadegg and Pombo in environmental reform.
In July, Jeff Taylor had published an op-ed critical of the Clinton Administration's .
FDA rule on tobacco. Specifically, he highlighted the FDA power grab as a
usurpation of Congressional authority. . Earlier in the yegr,.th8 IJ.S: Departinent
of Health_and Human, Services had issued the SAMSHA'regulatlons an curbing
teen smoking. These regulation were developed In partnership with Congress,
the Administration, public policy groups and the tobacco companies --a perfect
ANNORANDUM
To: Dr. Alexander Spears
Lorillard Tobacco Co.
nn:,lcnlpt Wallop VIA FAX
LI.S. Soaator (R-WY rcL.)
C:$oii'alrut From: Jeff Taylor
Date: October 3, 199e
Re: 10 month update
This year has gone by so quickly that I recently asked my staff to
compile a list of aocompiishments that Frontiers of Freedom has
completed over the course of 1996, I must say that, after reviewing the
list, no wonderthe year has flown by.
When we began this ventur®, the pundits all said that we would need to
carve a niche in an arena where all the niches were filled. Well, ont:e
again, the pundits were wrong. We have been able to build a certain
amount of credibility around staying truly committed to preservIng
Constitutional rights.
Most often, it is the liberal who encroaches on our Constitutional
freedoms, however, on occasion, a well meaning conservative or two
have tried to act as big brother to the citiaens of this country. These
lines have been blurred throughout this year on issues ranging from the
anti-terrorism debate to property rights initiatives to limiting the Food and
Drug Adminlstration and other government agencies. In those
circumstances, the conservative and liberal received the same treatment
- praise when our rights were preserved and admonishment when they
were abused.
~ 1735 Norlh LYimStrcci
Suitc 1050
Ai1ingtnn. VA 2?3(k)
Tel. 703-527-R282
Fa7C. 70i-527-8388
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F-_ 96 04:08PM LORILLR(~i TOBRCCO
N
One sure gauge of our growth took place recently when we presented 16
Members of Congress with our Defender of Fieedom Award. When we
returned to the office, we had calls from a handful of other Members
asking why they had not been recognized by Frontiers.
I know that you have already received a formal proposal regarding a
corporate contribution from Loriliard to Frontiers. I would like to ask you
to take a close look at how far and fast we have grown. The Frontiers
Team has taken on controversial projects that more seasoned
organizations have passed up.
We are making a difference and your contribution would go directly to
promoting more initiatives like the ones that you will read about
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to, hearing from you.
° ' -:qTc T 03 - '96 04 ~ 09Pt9 L6RILLg@D TOBACCO~~DUr7 .
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___.-
partnership, President- Clinton and Commissioner:- Kessler trumped _the
paitnership with a purely-polifical abridgment of tobaecc's Constitutiohal rights,
In late July, Frontiers of Freedom wrote the draft for the foreign policy, defense,
environmental, property rights, and natural resources planks to the American
Conservative Union's 9996 Commitfee fora Co»s®rv®tive Plaffonn. Significant
portions were adopted by the 1996 Rapublican platform committee. The
platform was also distributed at the Democratic National Convention, however,
most of the platform was not adopted. Dunng both conventions, Frontiers of
Freedom was called on by radio and TV talk shows to highlight and oppose
issues being debated before their respective platform committees.
In August, Frontiers of Freedom published an op-ed that appeared in lnvestor's
Business Daily and other newspapers in which we defended the Constitutional
rights of groups such as the Christian Coalition to publish voter education
guides and admonished the AFL-CIO for violating the Supreme Court Beck
decision. The Federal Election Commission alleged campaign improprieties by
the Coalition in the upcoming election, but we see this as a clear attempt to
prohibit the rights of the Coalition to exercise their freedom of speech.
In August, executive director, Jeff Taylor, debated Insight magazine writer
Jeremy Detmer and other wiretapping advocates on CNBC in the aftermath of
the TWA Flight $00 and Congressional desires to enhance wiretapping,
in September, Frontiers of Freedom and the Cato Institute co-hosted a full day
conference on "Fighting Terronsm and Protecting Freedom,' Senator Maleolm
Wallop delivered the introductory speech, while .former CIA Director James
Woolsey provided the keynote address. There were six panels coveNng issues
such as: The Politics of Terrot9sm, The Specifies of Anti-terror9sm Legislation,
21st Century Terrorism, Encryption and Intellectual Terrorism, Constitutional
Rights and Terrorism. The conference was covered widely by national and
regional media outlets.
In mid-September, Myron Ebeli testified before the full House Resources
Committee on a bill to subject United Nations Environmental designations to
Congressional approval.
In September, Frontiers of Freedom assembled a coalition of 52 grassroots
advocacy groups including the NRA, Free Congress, and the Environmental
Policy Task Force, asking Speaker Gingrich to remove Congressman Sherry
Boehlert as co-chairman of the Speaker's Task Force on the Environment.
Congressman Boehiert was an active participant in a Sierra Club fund-raiser
during the Republican National Convention in San Die$o. Legislatively, the
Sierra Club has been a roadblock to limiting environniental regulations and
promoting a free market environmental policy. Politically, the Sierra Club has
been active in defeating thase Members of CongPess supportive of free market
policies. Because of his support of the Sierra Club, we believe that
Congressman Boehiert has rejected his commitment to real environmental
reform and no longer merits the title of co-chairman of the Speaker's Task
Force.
