The tobacco economists network - or how the Tobacco Institute recruited over 100 American economics professors. Part 3 of many - A first glimpse at the activities and the names of all recruited members

overview of previous posts here

The tobacco industry wanted to recruit at least one economist per American state (explanation will follow). During the existence of the network, over 100 American economics professors were involved, but not all were very active in the network.

The industry called those shown below the ‘core group’. They all worked closely with the Tobacco Institute, and p.ex. followed a media-training program.

The Core Group

ROBERT D. TOLLISON (1942 - 2016)

Set up the network with consultant James M. Savarese

• attended strategic meetings at the Tobacco Institute
• wrote/edited at least five pro-tobacco books
• engaged in media tours throughout the USA
• testified several times at political hearings
• wrote numerous op-eds and 'scientific' papers
• attended several meetings of economists associations
• helped write with S. Fred Singer, a tobacco report for the Alexis De Tocqueville Institution
• also worked for British American Tobacco and as a consultant for dozens other industries

RICHARD E. WAGNER 

Richard E. Wagner

In support of the tobacco industry

• attended strategic meetings at the Tobacco Institute
• wrote/edited at least five pro-tobacco books
• engaged in media tours all over the USA
• testified several times at political hearings
• wrote numerous op-eds and 'scientific' papers
• attended several meetings of economists associations

DWIGHT R. LEE 

In support of the tobacco industry

• attended strategic meetings at the Tobacco Institute
• testified at least 20 times at political hearings
• wrote numerous op-eds and 'scientific' papers
• attended several meetings of economists associations

Dwight R. Lee

RICHARD S. HIGGINS 

In support of the tobacco industry

• attended strategic meetings at the Tobacco Institute
• wrote a 'scientific' paper in support of the tobacco industry

kept low profile, probably because he wasn't a professor, but working at the FTC

Robert B. Ekelund Jr. 

ROBERT B. EKELUND JR.

In support of the tobacco industry

• wrote numerous op-eds and 'scientific' papers
• attended several meetings of economists associations

MICHAEL L. DAVIS 

In support of the tobacco industry

• attended strategic meetings at the Tobacco Institute
• wrote numerous op-eds and 'scientific' papers
• participated in media tour
• attended several meetings of economists associations

GARY M. ANDERSON 

In support of the tobacco industry

• attended strategic meetings at the Tobacco Institute
• wrote numerous op-eds and 'scientific' papers
• attended several meetings of economists associations

The other economists:

The full list of network members is given in Appendix A (see bottom of this post). At any given moment in time, the industry wanted to 'own' at least one economist per state. As through time some economists dropped out in total 100+ professors have been active in the network. it is not always clear how they were recruited (see further chapters)

Before having a look at their activities, it is necessary to understand why the network was set up by the Tobacco Institute. The network did not pop up spontaneously, but was part of a very well defined plan. This will be the subject of the next posts.

Especially in the beginning years, James Savarese kept lists with all the economists recruited

Recruited tobacco economists, first page of  all recruited economists in the 50 US-states ( december 11, 1986)

As mentioned, through time the neames sometimes changed, because economists dropped out, moved to another state, were evaluated useless (see further), etc.

The industry closely monotored the activities of the network, p.ex. in this document from december 11, 1986 . Do notice they worked in well organised campains directed by the Tobacco Institute. All of them acted as lobbysists, not as academics expressing their opinions.

Appendix A - All identified members of the network