Robert C. McMahon & Dennis Logue
The letters written by Dennis M. Dyer show the contacts with the economists were not left to Savarese alone (he received a copy of the letter though). Dyer described how the economists were asked to participate: the industry never said 'defend this crap'. Instead they sent the economists papers written by the industry, asking the economists if they would be willing to defend it. All the economists knew they would receive money if they said yes. But is seems they always had the option to say 'no' if they did not feel comfortable defending something. Of course, too many no's probably would get them removed from the network.
Lee J. Alston at the time was in Australia, but wrote hestill was interested in working with the Tobacco Institute.
Alston was not a very active member. His letter shows that the Tobacco
Institute did have direct contact with everyone the network, not just the core
group of economists.
A follow
up memorandum shows Savarese had identified 6 possible new economists to
work as consultants, and had effectively recruited and contacted SimonRottenberg. Rottenberg received the same letter as above acouple of months later,
yet it seems Rottenberg never did much for the tobacco industry. But it makes
one wonder where Rottenberg's articles on the costs of transportation and the
costs of medicine came from. Not exactly two fields that are related to each
other. Rottenberg would also edit a book for the Independent Institute.
Some of the economists
must have replied to Dyer's letter.
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This is corruption, nothing less.
More
proof that some of the economists were for sale is found in another passage in
the same letter:
Even
though he realized the work he defended at a testimony was seriously flawed,
Logue decided to defend it. . .
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