Politics & Policy
Drug Firms Underwrite U.S. Chamber's TV Ads
By Jim VandeHei and Tom Hamburger
Staff Reporters of The Wall Street Journal
458 words
6 October 2000
The Wall Street Journal
A24
English
(Copyright (c) 2000, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.)
WASHINGTON -- In an effort underwritten substantially by drug companies, the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce will spend as much as $20 million between now and Election Day defending Republicans
on a range of health-care issues.
By funneling money through the Chamber, the pharmaceutical industry hopes to counter a drive by
the Clinton administration and congressional Democrats to create a Medicare prescription-drug
benefit and to help elect political candidates -- mostly Republicans -- who favor a nongovernmental
solution to the problem of high drug costs.
The Chamber's salvo is just the latest example of the unprecedented sums flowing into issue ads in
an effort to influence this year's elections. Since the ads don't directly advocate the election or
defeat of a specific candidate, they aren't subject to federal election-law regulation.
The drug industry already has spent at least $35 million on its own ads through Citizens for Better
Medicare, a group created and largely funded by pharmaceutical interests. Some industry officials
feel that because it has a strong local presence through local chapters around the country, the
Chamber has more credibility with voters and greater freedom to run hard-hitting ads.
The Chamber also plans to run ads on other health-care topics, such as HMO reform, which will be
financed by companies representing other industries.
The ad campaign began this week in Michigan, a battleground state for the presidential and
congressional elections, and next week will extend to more than a dozen states. In Minnesota, the
Chamber plans to spend $2 million over the next four weeks, according to a congressional candidate
who is tracking ad buys there.
Bruce Josten, the top lobbyist for the Chamber, confirmed that the organization plans to spend
"multiple millions of dollars" on the campaign, and that he "solicited pharmaceutical companies" for
money. The companies involved in the early planning discussions included Eli Lilly & Co., BristolMyers Squibb Co. and several others.
The campaign is designed to defend Republican candidates who have been hit hard with TV ads
financed by the AFL-CIO and Democratic Party. Democrats and their allies have made prescription
drugs the top issue of this year's elections. "The business community cannot concede the playing
field," Mr. Josten said.
In Michigan, GOP Sen. Spencer Abraham, a top Democratic target this fall, has been battling his
opponent over the issue of prescription drugs. The Chamber is running ads in Detroit, Lansing and
Grand Rapids. "Call Debbie Stabenow," one ad says, "and tell her Michigan doesn't want the bad
medicine she is prescribing."
--Greg Hitt contributed to this article.
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