A House committee chairman subpoenaed the nation's four biggest cigarette makers, demanding that they immediately turn over hundreds of documents that purportedly illustrate industry fraud.
Rep. Thomas Bliley, R-Va., who heads the House Commerce Committee and is one of tobacco's staunchest allies in Congress, ordered the companies to turn over the documents by noon Friday. He did not say what action he would take if they did not comply.Bliley last month ordered Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds, Brown & Williamson and Lorillard Inc. to produce 834 documents that they are withholding from a Minnesota court set to hear that state's lawsuit that seeks to recover the costs of treating sick smokers.
A court-appointed officer who has reviewed some of the documents has said they contain evidence that the industry deliberately misled the public about the dangers of smoking.
The industry argues the papers are protected by attorney-client privilege. A judge is considering whether the papers can be used against the industry in the lawsuit scheduled to start next month.
But Bliley on Nov. 13 said it was vital for Congress to know what is in the papers before lawmakers consider legislation that could give tobacco companies broad immunity from future lawsuits.
He gave the companies until Thursday to produce the papers, but they ignored the demand - and late Thursday, Bliley sent the companies subpoenas.
"I am going to make sure these documents see the light of day," Bliley said in a statement. "Congress is going to get these documents, and I'm not going to tolerate unnecessary delays in obtaining them.
"If the tobacco industry engaged in criminal or fraudulent activities, then Congress needs to know about these activities before we consider granting the industry unprecedented immunity from future lawsuits," he said.
The tobacco industry referred calls to its Washington public relations firm, Bozell, Sawyer & Miller, which declined comment.