After the Justice Department suddenly decided to seek only 8% of what experts at trial said Big Tobacco should pay in racketeering penalties, people got suspicious.
Now, the Justice Department itself will look into those suspicions.
The case was a 25-year long pursuit of what the government claimed was a 50-year long conspiracy by tobacco companies to defraud Americans about the dangers of tobacco.
Prosecutors decided at the last minute to only seek $10 billion of an estimated $130 billion in costs for penalties the tobacco companies suddenly said they weren't going to take care of.
Democratic lawmakers asked the Justice Department to look into the timing and circumstances of prosecutors' decisions. The IG says that's outside his jurisdiction. But says it's right up the Department's Office of Professional Responsibility and they will look into it. (WashPost)
Now, the Justice Department itself will look into those suspicions.
The case was a 25-year long pursuit of what the government claimed was a 50-year long conspiracy by tobacco companies to defraud Americans about the dangers of tobacco.
Prosecutors decided at the last minute to only seek $10 billion of an estimated $130 billion in costs for penalties the tobacco companies suddenly said they weren't going to take care of.
Democratic lawmakers asked the Justice Department to look into the timing and circumstances of prosecutors' decisions. The IG says that's outside his jurisdiction. But says it's right up the Department's Office of Professional Responsibility and they will look into it. (WashPost)
1 comment:
Yes, they'll look. But will they actually see anything?
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