David Wilson (British American Tobacco)

David Wilson was company Secretary for British American Tobacco (BAT) Industries, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1HONL circa 1995-97.  The State of Minnesota sued the major American tobacco comapnies in its lawsuit against to recover Medicaid costs of treating sick smokers. Minnesota included BAT in its suit. BAT filed a motion to have the action against it dismissed, claiming that, although Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company was its subsidiary for many years, BAT did not do business in the United States. David Wilson, in a court affidavit on behalf of BAT stated,


 * BAT PLC is a holding company which has never manufactured, tested, designed, marketed, packaged, sold, distributed or advertised anywhere in the United States, nor conducted research with respect to tobacco products or any other goods or products sold or intended for sale anywhere in the United States, including the State of Minnesota. No subsidiary of BAT PLC has ever held express or implied authority to act as BAT PLC's agent to ....conduct research with respect to tobacco products or any other goods or products anywhere in the United States, including the State of Minnesota.

Minnesota states, "This affidavit [by David Wilson] is directly contradicted by document after document from BAT's own files. Unquestionably, BAT--and the BAT Group, which BAT controls--has researched, tested, and designed cigarettes sold and intended for sale in the United States, including the State of Minnesota." The brief cites industry documents, and other wording from David Wilson himself, that contradicts Wilson's statement that BAT does not conduct business in the U.S.

Other SourceWatch Resources
resource_id=2583 resource_code=wilson_david search_term=David Wilson
 * Tobacco industry