Connecticut Attorney General's Office

News Release

Federal Judge Dismisses Tobacco Industry Lawsuit Against Blumenthal

Thursday, December 26, 1996

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today hailed a federal court decision throwing out a lawsuit by four tobacco companies that sought to block Connecticut's lawsuit against the tobacco industry.

Blumenthal said the decision (Click here to see ruling), believed to be the first time a federal judge has dismissed this type of tobacco industry action against a state, is a major win for Connecticut's effort to halt marketing of tobacco products to children and end other illegal practices that have resulted in the state spending hundreds of millions of dollars to pay for tobacco-related illnesses.

"The linchpin of this powerful and profound precedent is the court's conclusion that an important state interest is at stake," Blumenthal said. "This court is the first to reach that conclusion, which is absolutely correct and critical to litigation around the country. These four companies attempted to use the federal courts to pre-empt our lawsuit and their efforts have been resoundingly rejected."

The decision by Chief United States District Court Judge Peter C. Dorsey, dated Monday, granted Blumenthal's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which was filed on June 28 by Philip Morris Inc., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co. and Lorillard Tobacco Company.

"This lawsuit was simply designed to deny Connecticut its day in court and was an unfortunate attempt to intimidate and hamper our efforts," Blumenthal said. "It did not work. We are pressing ahead in our case. This decision, which explicitly recognizes the principle that the federal government should not interfere with legitimate state functions, clears the way for our case to continue."

The state's lawsuit against seven tobacco companies and three related organizations was filed on July 18, alleging violations of Connecticut's antitrust and unfair trade practices laws as well as asserting a number of common law claims. The lawsuit seeks to halt the aggressive marketing of tobacco products to children and teenagers and recover Medicaid money spent on smoking related illnesses.