TOBACCO FIRMS PROVIDE JETS TO REPUBLICANS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Tobacco companies let Republican lawmakers and
their committees use company jets for dozens of flights last year, the
Washington Post reported in today's editions, citing a report by
congressional Democrats.

The tobacco industry provided far more subsidized travel to
Republicans than any other industry, according to the report prepared
by Democrats on the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee.

The planes took Republicans lawmakers to destinations from New York
City to San Diego, sometimes in the company of tobacco executives, and
much of the travel occurred as tobacco firms were seeking legislation
to protect them from mounting lawsuits, the report found.

Investigators said they found no reports of Democrats traveling on
tobacco company jets between January 1997 and the end of May, 1998,
the period covered by the study, which was headed by Rep. Henry Waxman
of California, the senior Democrat on the committee.

Lawmakers and campaign committees must pay the companies the
equivalent of first-class airfare to the same destinations, but
private jet travel offered added convenience and luxury, the Post reported.

If the destination was not served by a commercial airline, the
lawmakers paid a charter rate, and the companies picked up the extra
costs, the investigators found.

According to the report, Republican-controlled entitities made 236
payments for travel to corporations during the 17 months of Federal
Election Commission disclosures studied, 84 of which went to the
tobacco industry.

Democratic entities made 23 payments to corporations.

Other industries also provide travel on private company jets to
lawmakers, including the health care industry, which is involved in a
major battle over legislation on Capitol Hill.

Republicans criticized the report, which is due to be released Monday,
and said there was no problem with travel.

Lawmakers often used the private jets to arrange campaign travel that
would be difficult on commercial flights.

Philip Schiliro, a spokesman for Waxman, defended the Democratic study
and said it was ``entirely appropriate'' to investigate the methods
used by tobacco companies to influence Congress, adding that the study
shed light on loophole in the campaign finance laws.

Checked-by: "Rich O'Grady"