BOXER HOLDS BACK VOTES ON TOBACCO

WASHINGTON -- California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer is one of two
senators who is abstaining from some of the votes on proposed amendments to
controversial tobacco-control legislation under consideration by the
Senate.

During four days of debate on the $516 billion bill, sponsored by
Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, senators voted on four proposed
amendments.

Boxer voted "present" on two of the amendments. One amendment, which the
Senate rejected, proposed to limit fees for lawyers in lawsuits against the
tobacco industry. The second amendment, approved by the Senate, would
remove liability protections for the industry.

Boxer said she abstained on the two votes because her husband's law firm is
co-counsel in several lawsuits against tobacco companies filed in
California state court by health and welfare trust funds.

The Senate Ethics Committee advised Boxer that her husband's work would not
pose an actual conflict of interest, but the senator said she decided to
abstain from votes on issues involving lawyers or litigation in order to
prevent the appearance of such a conflict.

Family ties are also preventing Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of
Mississippi from casting votes on the tobacco legislation.

Lott's brother-in-law is Richard Scruggs, a Mississippi lawyer who is
representing 30 states in their lawsuits against cigarette companies to
recover the costs of treating sick smokers.

Copyright ) 1998 The Sacramento Bee

Checked-by: jwjohnson@netmagic.net (Joel W. Johnson)