Plaintiffs v. THE AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY, INC., ET AL.
Deposition of John H. Hager"4/25/72
As discussed, higher nicotine at the same tar level is generally accomplished through the selection of tobaccos, and Lorillard has bought some higher nicotine tobaccos recently. Other ways would include the addition of Compound W, a change in cigarette paper, and the use of reconstituted instead of stems (stems have a very low nicotine content). The change in Newport is similar to our work on PM menthol--increase in nicotine and menthol at the same tar. The opposite situation is Sano--lower nicotine at a given tar level. "
"A. That was atthe point in time when Brown and Williamson, orB. A. T., if you will, purchased The American Tobacco Company from American Brands.
Q. Do you have or have you had relatives who also work for American Tobacco?
A. Uh-huh.
Q. And who would they be?
A. My father, my uncle, and my grandfather.
Q. And briefly, sir, what were the positions that those gentlemen held with the company?
A. My father held a great variety of positions, ending up as executive vice president of The American Tobacco Company. My uncle held a variety of positions, ending up as vice president dash tobacco and cigarettes of The American Tobacco Company. My grandfather was general manager for a company called Fenzer Brothers, which was one of the companies amalgamated into The American Tobacco Company by Mr. Duke, and ultimately became a director of American Tobacco, but I quite frankly don't know what his titles were.-
Q. Was that a paternal or maternal grandfather?
A. Paternal.
Q. Any other relatives?
A. Not that I'm aware of. I think maybe one of my grandfather's brothers had a lesser job in the company. Other than that I'm not aware of it.
Q. Now, sir, have you held consulting positions with other tobacco companies besides American Tobacco or with tobacco industry trade associations?
A. Only since my retire -- Well, only since my separation from The American Tobacco Company. At the time of the purchase by B. A. T.
Q. Do you remember, that's since -
A. January of 1995.
Q. January, '95. Do you hold -
A. July, '96 was when I was officially retired, but I performed no functions for The American Tobacco Company since January of '95 due to the separation situation.
Q. What are the consulting positions you have held or now hold since January, 1995?
A. Starting in, I believe -- must have been either April or May of '95 through December of '96, I was a consultant with the Tobacco Institute, State Activities Division. On a part-time basis, and since January of 1997 to the Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corporation, government affairs division on a part-time basis.
Q. Describe for me, please, what your state activities position with the Tobacco Institute involved.
A. It involved in a cooperative fashion as - As I say, this was a part-time job. It involved working with the State Activities Division of the Tobacco Institute. The director is a man named Pat Donoho, and it involved working with Pat on industry-related matters, first in the southeast region, states like Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland where I had had a lot of experience working with their new vice president, John Shipper, who was the regional VP.
It involved support of governors conferences. It involved liaison with Brown and Williamson in their evolutionary setting up of their own independent governors affairs department which, January 1 of '97, I began to be a consultant to, instead of the Tobacco Institute.
Q. Am I correct in assuming that much of the work involved in your consulting with the Tobacco Institute then would have dealt with lobbying?
A. Not directly. No, sir.
Q. Does the Tobacco Institute lobby?
A. The Tobacco Institute has contract lobbyists in every state in the union, I believe, but I don't think the institute itself directly lobbies, but I'm not a lawyer.
Q. But it is involved in lobbying activities?
A. Sure.
Q. And in what way, if any way, did your work with the Tobacco Institute have some effect on their lobbying, the work of their contract lobbyist?
A. I don't think -- Very little. I mean, that wasn't my function. I was not a lobbyist.
Q. What was your function precisely then?
A. My function was as an industry resource, as an experienced executive, as one who had served on some of the committees at the institute, to be available for advice and to work with them in, as I say, primarily governors conferences, meeting people.
Q. Can you give me a couple of examples of requests to you for input, what those requests asked you for, what the issues involved were?
A. Well, as I say, I was a part-time government affairs lobbyist. For instance, when the tobacco market opened in Maryland, in southern Maryland, I went there with the regional vice president of the institute to welcome a group of the Maryland state legislators to explain to them what tobacco markets were all about, and to tell them about the auction system and take them on a tour, and so they might have a better appreciation of the role tobacco plays in their economy.
Q. Did you deal with specific policy issues; for example, tobacco excise taxes or other tobacco policy issues?
A. We may have discussed policy issues. Sure. That's what state activities is all about. In each state in the union they're concerned with legislation that impacts the industry, pro or con.
Q. Did your work involve -
A. Discussion, advice? Perhaps.
Q.-- encouragement of keeping tobacco taxes at a low level or opposing increases in tobacco taxes?
....."
HAGER IS SEEN AS TOLERANT, WITH A MIND OF HIS OWN"For Hager, it was a pursuit consistent with the Republican political philosophy that contends some services are better provided by the private or non-profit sector. The health foundation leverages government funding to win matching grants, bringing in more than $6 in grants for every $1 of public funding.
Hager's thinking is consistent with his upbringing by Republican parents from longtime Republican families in Ohio and Kentucky. ``I believe in personal freedom and individual responsibility, traditional families, hard work, and basic American values of free enterprise,'' he said. "
John H. Hager"The political volunteer work was especially appealing to Hager, who worked for Virginia Lieutenant Governor John N. Dalton in 1975, was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1984,
and co-chaired Oliver North’s senatorial campaign in 1994. He was then ready to go at it full time and,
in 1997, was elected lieutenant governor of Virginia on a Republican ticket with James S. Gilmore. His work included promoting anti-crime initiatives, directing state lottery profits for use in education, and improving transportation.
When Hager lost the nomination for governor in mid-2001, he prepared for a move to Washington to work for President George W. Bush. The attacks of September 11, 2001, however, altered those plans.
Hager was asked to oversee Virginia’s homeland security, a job that he continued when newly elected governor Mark R. Warner invited Hager to join his cabinet in 2002 as homeland security director. Under his guidance, Virginia’s preparedness and homeland security became a model for other states, and in collaboration with his counterparts in Maryland and Washington D.C., Hager created a regional security structure that leads the nation in preparedness.
In 2004 Hager joined the federal Department of Education as assistant secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. In this role, he oversees some 280 employees and a $14.5 billion budget. He is charged with helping carry out President Bush’s New Freedom Initiative to provide independence and opportunity for individuals in the special- education and vocational-rehabilitation system. The position is a great fit for a man who has refused to acknowledge disability as a barrier and has steadfastly and optimistically pursued success."
Meet Chairman John H. Hager - Republican Party of Virginia"John H. Hager was elected as Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia in July 2007. Prior to his service as Chairman, Hager served as assistant secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) at the U.S. Department of Education. He was confirmed by the Senate on Nov. 21, 2004"
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