Connecticut Attorney General's Office
Connecticut Attorney General's Office
Wednesday, July 16, 1997
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today urged Congress to approve the proposed tobacco settlement and not miss a historic opportunity to save hundreds of thousands of lives.
"Though there may be objections to particular elements of this proposal -- and I share some of your concerns -- as a whole I believe this comprehensive plan is an unprecedented opportunity to seek to save a generation from the disease and death caused by tobacco," Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal, one of five attorneys general who led the negotiations with the tobacco industry that resulted in the landmark settlement, testified today before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Click Here to View Testimony He urged the senators to consider the agreement's benefits and balance those gains against the concessions in the plan.
"The concessions given were much narrower than the broad, blanket immunity originally sought by the industry and were made only because we judged them to be necessary to achieve our public health objectives," Blumenthal said. "But the key question is whether the final package is worth this price. I welcome the work to scrutinize and strengthen the agreement, reducing that price, if possible."
Blumenthal that the attorneys general held firm to ensure that:
- No individual would be denied his or her day in court.
- No tobacco industry executive is granted any immunity from criminal prosecution.
- No limits are placed on punitive damages for the industry's future wrongdoing.
- No cap is placed on the compensatory damages any litigant can receive.
"Evaluate the concessions against the tremendous benefits of this agreement," Blumenthal urged. "Let us not lose sight of the core objectives: protecting our children and reducing death and disease as soon as possible."