Greg Graves

Greg Graves was listed in a 1994 R.J. Reynolds (RJR) internal report as an at-large "Offensive Field Coordinator." . Graves is listed along with lobbyist-colleague J. J. Vigneault. The two later both became directors of the group Action America, which worked to oppose the 1994 Clinton Health Care proposal, and to raise funds to advance the political career of Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. As an RJR field coordinator, Graves helped RJR organize local "grassroots" opposition to the Clinton administration's 1994 Health Care proposal, which was to be funded by an increase in the federal excise tax (FET) on cigarettes. Some of Graves' activities were mentioned in a February 16, 1994 RJR report:

Greg Graves held coalition meetings with 14 small businessmen and anti-tax activists in Lafayette, LA [Louisiana], and a similar group of 25 people in Baton Rouge. Sentiment against the Clinton plan was extremely strong, and participants were urged to write letters, make phone calls, and to try to personally meet with Louisiana's two U.S. senators.

A May 23, 1994 letter written by Tom Griscom of RJR describing activities ongoing in RJR's External Relations Department states, "FC [Field Coordinator] Greg Graves met with a doctor who has sued the White House in order to get access to documents that the Health Care Task Force evaluated and generated..."

In 1994, RJR paid Graves a $60,000 retainer plus a 10% bonus (total compensation $66,000).

Sourcewatch resources
See Americans for Tax Reform and Big Tobacco for more details of RJR's efforts to defeat the Clinton healthcare plan.

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