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Antitrust - Mail from Businessmen: Edward Schmults File (7)
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Antitrust - Mail from Businessmen: Edward Schmults File (7)
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The original documents are located in Box 3, folder "Antitrust - Mail from Businessmen:
Edward Schmults File (7)" of the John Marsh Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential
Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 3 of the John Marsh Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
September 22
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
TO:
ED SCHMULTS
FROM: JOHN O. MARSH, JR.
For Direct Reply
For Draft Response
XX For Your Information
Please Advise
LIBRARY GERALD P. FORD
September 24, 1976
Dear Mr. Langdon:
Just a short note to thank you for
sending me a copy of your letter to
the President concerning the anti-
trust legislation.
I have taken the liberty of sharing
this letter with those here at the
White House working on this matter.
We greatly appreciate your taking
the time to give us the benefit of
your views on this important issue.
Sincerely,
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
Mr. J. Lloyd Langdon
President
Pet Incorporated
Post Office Box o, C.R.S.
Johnson City, Tennessee 37601
dl
CC: Ed Schmults
GERALD LIBRARY 4. FORD
PET
GENERAL OFFICES: BRISTOL HIGHWAY
DAIRY DIVISION
JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE 37601
INCORPORATED
PET®
P. O. BOX O, CRS
PHONE (615) 926-7171
J. LLOYD LANGDON
PRESIDENT
August 30, 1976
The President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear President Ford:
It is now apparent that Congress will submit for your signa-
C
ture very comprehensive antitrust legislation.
The Senate has passed Omnibus Bill, S. 1284, and the House
has passed Bill H. R. 8532, both of which include sections
entitled, "parens patriae.' It appears likely that the
Conference Committee will retain this section in the final
legislation.
The parens patriae provision will become a tool for financial
and political blackmail in the hands of lawyers and attorneys
general. No consumer benefit will be realized if, as seems
likely, unfounded charges bring financial devastation to
many businesses and create bankruptcy proceedings and loss
of jobs.
We favor responsible antitrust enforcement from the public
and private sectors. We firmly believe the current measures,
however, to be adequate, sound and prudent.
We urge your consideration of this view, and we urge that
you veto this measure.
Sincerely yours,
J. Lloyd Langdon
JLL/J1
001 The Honorable Philip W. Buchen
COPY FOR:
The Honorable John 0. Marsh, Jr.
The Honorable John J. Rhodes
The Honorable Hugh Scott
FORD i SERVID LIBRARY
PET
DAIRY DIVISION
INCORPORATED
FRESH
GENERAL OFFICE
COMMSON SEP 1'76 CITY
U.S.POSTAGE
PET
AS YOU
P.O. BOX o, C.R.S.
JOHNSON CITY, TENN. 37601
CAN GET.
111 13
TENN
PB 647865
METER
The Honorable John 0. Marsha, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
September 22, 1976
Dear Mr. Lenhart:
Just a short note to thank you for
sending me a copy of your letter to
the President concerning the anti-
trust legislation.
I have taken the liberty of sharing
this letter with those here at the
White House working on this issue.
We greatly appreciate your taking
the time to give us the benefit of
your views on this important matter.
Sincerely,
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
Mr. John E. Lenhart
Manager of Engineering
Grocery Products Group
Purex Corporation
24600 South Main Street
Post Office Box 6200
Carson, California 90749
cc: Ed Schmults
dl
BERALD FORD LIBRARY
August 27, 1976
The President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear President Ford:
I strongly urge your veto of the recent legislation passed by
Congress granting parens patrise authority. Enactment of this
legislation would have a very negative impact on our free
enterprise system. Costs related to this legislation would
be borne ultimately by the consumer in terms of higher prices.
Beneficiaries would be primarily those unscrupulous members of
the legal profession, and the governmental agencies whose pur-
poses are to line their own pocket or exercise more complete
control over business and ultimately individual freedoms.
Your veto of the parens patrise legislation is snother key to
stopping further erosion of our freedom.
Very respectfully yours,
John John E. Lenhart E. Landart
Manager of Engineering
Grocery Products Group
JELigf
cc: Mr. Philip W. Buchen
Mr. John 0. Marsh, JI.L
FORD : LIBRARY GERALD
Mr. John J. Rhodes
Mr. Hugh Scott
PROCLAIM LIBERTY
USA13c
PUREX CORPORATION
24600 so. MAIN ST. P.O. BOX 6200 CARSON, CA. 90749
LONG BE 27 PM ACH AUG CA 806
CONQUER
CYSTIC
THROUGHOUT ACTH ALL LAND
FIBROSIS
1976
The Honorable
John 0. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
September 22, 1976
Dear Dr. Odioso:
Just a short note to thank you
for sending me a copy of your
letter to the President concerning
the antitrust legislation.
I have taken the liberty of sharing
this letter with those here at the
White House working on this matter.
We greatly appreciate your taking
the time to give us the benefit of
your views on this important issue.
Sincerely,
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
Dr. Raymond Odioso
5020 Spring Grove Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45232
cc: Ed Schmults
dl
FORD & GERALD LIBRARY
RAYMOND C. ODIOSO
5020 SPRING GROVE AVENUE
CINCINNATI, OHIO 45232
August 27, 1976
The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
I am writing to urge you to reject the parens patriae legislation. This
legislation is a blatantly punitive measure, designed to further inhibit
the creativity of American business, and offers too many incentives for the
fomenting of multi-million dollar antitrust suits for the primary purpose
of gaining "blackmail" settlements.
There is a basic injustice to the concept, as I view it, in that it does not
accomplish the ostensible purpose of protecting the consumer against sharp
practices, and does not provide any disincentive for the filing of nuisance
law suits by state attorneys to gain publicity. An examination of many widely
publicized cases filed by FTC, and quietly dropped at a later date, demonstrates
the probable outcome of this additional legislation.
Further, in justice, it would appear that an opportunity should somehow be
provided for slandered companies to recover triple damages from the parties
doing the suing if their innocence should be proved. Recent successful
counter-suits by harassed physicians in malpractice cases provide an
example of one way to reduce malpractice suits which are filed without
cause. Basically, the difficulty with the present legislation is that it
insures that there can be only one loser, the companies being sued.
In my opinion, this would appear to be the built-in injustice of the parens
patriae legislation, which is just another example of the consistent efforts
which are being made to stifle competition and the free enterprise system.
Sincerely,
Raymond C. Odioso, Ph.D.
RCO/cw
cc: The Honorable Philip W. Buchen
The Honorable John 0. Marsh, Jr.
FORD is LIBRAR GERALD
The Honorable John J. Rhodes
The Honorable Hugh Scott
CINCINN
a
THIS POSTAGE
AUG27'76
= 13 :
PB 642
The Honorable John C. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
5020 SPRING GROVE AVENUE
c
CINCINNATE, OHIO 45232
September 22, 1976
Dear Mr. Zelinski:
Just a short note to thank you
for sending me a copy of your
letter to the President concerning
the antitrust legislation.
I have taken the liberty of sharing
this letter with those here at the
White House working on this matter.
We greatly appreciate your taking
the time to give us the benefit of
your views on this important issue.
Sincerely,
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
Mr. Edward D. Zelinski
201 West Raynolds Street
Urbana, Ohio 43078
CC: Ed Schmults
dl
FORD is LIBRARY GERALD
201 West Reynolds Street
Urbana, Ohio 43078
August 27, 1976
The President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
I am a trustee on our local hospital board, as well as a business
man in a small town. With this exposure to both the business
community and the hospital medical profession, I urge you to reject
the parens patriae concept, even as limited and modified in pending
Congressional proposals (S. 1284, H.R. 8532, et al).
Most objectional to me is the feature in both the House and Senate
bills which allows State Attorney Generals to hire private "plaintiffs"
to bring parens patriae suits. I have watched with alarm the in-
creased cost for medical services because of mal practice suits, and
the high cost of insurance to protect the medical profession.
Most of my friends and I can see the same thing happening to the cost
of goods in this country should this bill pass. Inflation, which is
of utmost concern to us all, would spiral out of sight. This bill,
which has lead to appear to serve the consumer, can in reality only
end up costing him far more than he will ever gain. We have all seen
it happen to the cost of medical services and it can do nothing but in-
crease the cost of goods from toothpicks to automobiles.
Sincerely yours,
Edward D. Zelinski
SERALD 1817 ? FORD
201 W Reynolds, 43078
URBANA
U.S.POSTAGEOD
AUG27'76 E.13E11
-
OHIO
E231260
IMETER
The Honorable John 0. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the Pres.
The White House
Washington, D C 20500
CONFIDENTIAL
Determined to be an
Administrative Marking
By 80
NARA, Date 1/13/2014
September 22, 1976
Dear Mr. Skinner:
Just a short note to thank you for
sending me a copy of your letter to
the President concerning the anti-
trust legislation.
I have taken the liberty of sharing
this letter with those here at the
White House working on this matter.
We greatly appreciate your taking
the time to give us the benefit of
your views on this important issue.
Sincerely,
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
Mr. Lloyd E. Skinner
Chairman of the Board
Chief Executive Officer
Skinner Macaroni Company
Post Office Box 75
Omaha, Nebraska 68101
cc: Ed Schmults
dl
FORD is LIBRARY GERALD
MACARONI CO.
P O. Box 75 / Omaha, Nebraska 68101 / Telephone (402) 331-7000
Chairman of the Board
Chief Executive Officer
August 26, 1976
President Gerald R. Ford
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear President Ford:
Frankly speaking, the "parens patriae bill, " which seems assured
of passage in Congress, will open a Pandora's Box of antitrust suits
and "blackmail" settlements unless you exercise your veto.
Parens patriae, as the bill has commonly become known, means "father
of the country. " If enacted, the legislation will more likely be the
"father of antitrust lawyers."
Why on earth do we need private "plaintiff" attorneys, who act on
appointment of a state attorney general, to reap huge profit from
business through such suits? The Federal Trade Commission's job
is regulation of business and antitrust action. With this bill we would
open the door for "get-rich-quick" suits by ambitious lawyers, who
convince the state attorney general they may have a case and are able
to secure a handsome out-of-court settlement through threat of pub-
licity a trial would bring.
Antitrust actions would be the next in a long line of lawyer's havens
which started with car accidents and has now moved on to medical
malpractice suits.
The danger of such legislation was pointed out by none other than
Attorney General Edward Levi who noted the parens patriae bill would
not only force business firms into "blackmail settlements" but may
eventually lead to government price controls. (Parens patriae suite
could be brought where there is a price change from a competitor.)
The consumer, which this legislation is masked as protecting, would
be the loser here. Just as medical expenses have risen with mal-
practice suits, so could prices by businesses.
CERALO FORD LIBRARY
- more -
Plant & Office /6848 F St., Omaha, Nebraska 68117
President Gerald R. Ford
- 2 -
August 26, 1976
Our overcrowded court calendars would be pushed even further by
parens patriae suits, which would benefit primarily the lawyers,
not to mention cause business failure in some cases, drive prices
higher and create the possibility of government price controls.
This is unjustified legislation to saddle our free enterprise system
with. It appears that the burden of stopping this legislation rests
on your shoulders.
Senator Barry Goldwater spoke of the ever creeping socialization
of our society in his platform address to the Republican Convention.
This bill, along with the Humphrey-Hawkins full employment fantasy,
is a prime example of this.
I urge you to veto this parens patriae bill and allow the free enter-
prise system indeed to be "free."
Sincerely yours
Ay LLOYD E. SKINNER
LES:bh
CC: Philip W. Buchen
John O. Marsh, Jr.
/
John J. Rhodes
Hugh Scott
FORD is LIBRARY OF
SKINNER
MACARONI CO.
OMA
/
U.S POSTAGE
P.O. Box 75 / Omaha, Nebraska 68101
AUG26'76
111 13 :
NEBR
no METER
t.u. 375898
Honorable John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
September 22, 1976
Dear Mr. Cooney:
Just a short note to thank you for
sending me a copy of your recent
letter to the President concerning
the antitrust legislation.
I have taken the liberty of sharing
this letter with those hwee at the
White House working on this issue.
Sincerely,
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
Mr. Thomas M. Cooney
Executive Vice President
Fairmont Foods Company
1111 East Touhy Avenue
Des Plaines, Illinois 60018
CC: Ed Schmults
dl
FORD + LIBRARY 938839
SEP 22 1976
FAIRMONT FOODS COMPANY
1111 East Touhy Ave ,Des Plaines, Illinois 60018 312-297-0100
Thomas M. Cooney
Executive
Vice President
September 20, 1976
The President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
We urge veto of H.B. 8532, or any other bill which contains the so-
called "parens patriae" provision empowering state attorneys general
or state-retained private plaintiff's lawyers to institute antitrust liti-
gation on behalf of residents of any state.
The "parens patriae" provision will do nothing to further discourage
anticompetitive activity. It will, however, greatly increase oppor-
tunities for strike suits and civil litigation for political purposes.
Means already exist whereby persons who are truly injured by anti-
competitive activity may seek recompense. This damaging legislation
does not fulfill any real need, but simply adds to the onus of already
overburdened legitimate business.
Very truly yours,
Thomas In long
TMC:jmn
-CC: The Honorable
The Honorable
Philip W. Buchen
John J. Rhodes
Counsel to the President
Minority Leader
The White House
U. S. House of Representatives
Washington, D. C. 20500
Washington, D. C. 20515
/I The Honorable
The Honorable
FORD & LIBRARY 070830
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Hugh Scott
Counsellor to the President
Minority Leader
The White House
U.S. Senate
Washington, D. C. 20500
Washington, D.C. 20510
FAIRMONT FOODS COMPANY
DES
SEP20'76 PLAINERS S.
U.S.POSTAGE
1111 East Touhy Avenue
111 13
Des Plaines, Illinois 60018
/LL.
P.B. 644524
METER
The Honorable John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
September 22, 1976
Dear Mr. Jones:
Just a short note to thank you for
sending me a copy of your letter to
the President concering the anti-
trust legislation.
I have taken the liberty of sharing
this letter with those here at the
White House working on this matter.
We greatly appreciate your taking
the time to give us the benefit of
your views on this important issue.
Sincerely,
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
Mr. Landon Y. Jones
Executive Vice President
Pet Incorporated
400 South Fourth Street
St. Louis, Missouri 63166
CC: Ed Schmults
dl
PORD : LIBRARY
PET
INCORPORATED
PET PLAZA
400 SOUTH FOURTH STREET
SAINT LOUIS MISSOURI 63166
LANDON Y. JONES
TEL (314) 621-5400
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
August 26, 1976
The President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear President Ford:
It seems more than obvious that Congress will submit for your
signature antitrust legislation that is very comprehensive.
The Senate-passed Omnibus Bill, S. 1284, and the House Bill,
H.R. 8532, both incorporate sections entitled "parens patriae"
which extend cause for great alarm for it seems the Conference
Committee will retain this measure in the final legislation.
The parens patriae provision will become a tool for financial
and political blackmail in the hands of lawyers and attorneys
general. There certainly can be no consumer benefit as
unfounded charges could bring financial devastation to many
and create bankruptcy proceedings and work stoppages.
The proposed legislation will increase the overall cost of doing
business without creating any appreciable benefits.
I favor responsible enforcement of antitrust laws from the public
and private sectors. I firmly believe the current measures to
be sound and prudent. If there must be a different way to deal
with antitrust problems, the way must be better or progressive
rather than worse and endangering.
I urge your consideration of this view and encourage your veto
this antitrust measure.
801 & LIBRARY 07683
Sincerely, "Sandon
cc:
The Hon. Philip W. Buchen
This copy for
The Hon. John O. Marsh, Jr.
The Hon. John J. Rhodes
The Hon. Hugh Scott
U)AUG26'76 LOUIS
ANIT
13
MD
P6 629578
The Honorable John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
PET
INCORPORATED
PET PLAZA
400 SOUTH FOURTH STREET
SAINT LOUIS MISSOURI 63166
September 22, 1976
Dear Mr. Dean:
Just a short note to thank you for
sending me a copy of your letter to
the President concerning the anti-
trust legislation.
I have taken the liberty of sharing
this letter with those here at the
White House working on this matter.
We greatly appreciate your taking
the time to give as the benefit of
your views on this important issue.
Sincerely,
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
Mr. R. Hal Dean
Chairman of the Board
and Chief Executive
Officer
Ralston Purina Company
Checkerboard Square
St. Louis, Missouri 63188
CC: Ed Schmults
dl
FORD i LIBRARY BERALD
AUG 2 8 1976
Ralston Purina
Company
R. Hal Dean
Chairman of the Board
and Chief Executive Officer
August 25, 1976
The President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Re: "Parens Patriae" Legislation
I am writing to express my concern over the so-called
"parens patriae" features of legislation recently
passed by the House and Senate as a part of more
comprehensive antitrust bills. I strongly urge you
to veto any legislation containing such authority.
However viewed, this legislation is utterly wrong.
There is no constructive criticism, or variation in
approach, which will reformulate its fundamental
misapprehension of business into meaningful law. I
have yet to see any precise identification of the
shortcomings which this proposal will allegedly cor-
rect, or any factual support for its apparent assump-
tion that present antitrust procedures and remedies
are inadequate. I suspect that any serious effort
expended in these directions would reveal how groundless
this legislation is.
We as a nation have, of course, before survived radical
remedial legislation which produced far worse results
than the imaginary problems it was designed to solve.
What particularly concerns me about the current pro-
posal is not only that it authorizes elected state
officials to enforce federal statutes and thus set
federal policy--a notion that by itself is shocking--
but also that it permits state-retained private
attorneys to act in the officials' behalf. Since the
potential rewards of such litigation, in terms of
attorneys fees, are enormous, this can only serve to
encourage monstrous lawsuits on the most frivolous of
grounds. And since the concomitant costs and risks of
business defendants will be correspondingly extreme, the
FORD & LIBRARY
Checkerboard Square
St. Louis, Missouri 63188
The President
- 2 -
August 25, 1976
potential for "blackmail" settlements and politically
motivated abuse is painfully clear.
Mr. President, it is fashionable in some of today's
circles to believe that the nation's economic well-being
is directly correlative to the presence or absence of
massive antitrust litigation. I have heard proponents
of measures such as these argue that this legislation
will stimulate competition, lower prices to consumers,
control inflation, reduce unemployment, and produce a
myriad of other benefits too wonderful to describe. At
best, however, this legislation will certainly lessen
competition, raise consumer prices, create inflationary
pressures, and increase employment only for antitrust
lawyers. I respectfully request that you give this
proposal the outright rejection it deserves.
Thank you for the opportunity to express these views.
Very truly yours,
Hal Dean
R. Hal Dean
djb
cc The Honorable Philip W. Buchen
Counsel to the President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
The Honorable John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
The Honorable John J. Rhodes
Minority Leader
U. S. House of Representatives
Washington, D. C. 20515
The Honorable Hugh Scott
Minority Leader
U. S. Senate
Washington, D. C. 20510
LIBRAST GERALD ? FORD
September 22, 1976
Dear Mr. Sullivan:
Just a short note to thank you for
sending me a copy of your letter to
the President concerning the anti-
trust legislation.
I have taken the liberty of sharing
this letter with those here at the
White House working on this matter.
We greatly appreciate your taking the
time to give us the benefit of your
views on this important matter.
Sincerely,
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
Mr. Paul V. Sullivan
President
Merchants Refrigerating Company
850 Third Avenue
New York, New York 10022
CC: Ed Schmults
dl
FORD i LIBRARY OERALD
R
MERCHANTS REFRIGERATING COMPANY
850 Third Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10022
Telephone: 212-752-7272
August 31, 1976
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
The President
COPY
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear President Ford:
It seems obvious that Congress will soon submit for your signature significant
antitrust legislation. We feel compelled to advise you of our opposition to
the legislation and to urge your veto.
There are many objectionable features of the antitrust bills recently clearing
both houses, but one is of particular importance. The Senate omnibus bill,
S. 1284, in Title IV, and House bill HR 8532, involve parens patriae provisions
giving attorneys general authority to bring treble damage lawsuits on behalf of
a state's citizenry. They, further, authorize attorneys general to engage
private counsel for such litigation. Both of these provisions, it is expected,
will be in the Conference Committee bill.
The parens patriae provision will be a tool for financial and political blackmail
in the hands of lawyers and attorneys general. Enough of such activity is
already prevalent in the antitrust field as part of class action suits. Just as
class suits have not been a consumer boon, there certainly will be no consumer
benefit derived from parens patriae induced complaints. As for defendant companies,
the prospect of financial devastation will be monumental.
We do not oppose antitrust laws and we favor responsible enforcement from the
public and private sectors. There has, however, been a lot of abusive litigation
in this field. To create more laws to encourage such activity is reprehensible.
We do not perceive antitrust enforcement to be a lagging activity. If there must
be a different way to deal with antitrust problems, it must be by a method more
sensible than that which would be encouraged by the proposed legislation and by a
method which in itself does not induce wholesale improper conduct.
Sincerely yours,
Paul V. Sullivan
President
cc - The Honorable Philip W. Buchen
FORD is LIBRARY
The Honorable John 0. Marsh, Jr. ^
The Honorable John J. Rhodes
The Honorable Hugh Scott
MERCHANTS REFRIGERATING COMPANY
850 THIRD AVENUE
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10022
NEW
YORK
.S.POSTAGE
AUG31'76
13
NY
P.B.837643
The Honorable John 0. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
September 22, 1976
Dear Mr. Green:
Just a short note to thank you for
sending me a copy of your letter
to the President concerning the
antitrust legislation.
I have taken the liberty of sharing
this letter with those here at the
White House working on this matter.
We greatly appreciate your taking
the time to give us the benefit of
your views on this important issue.
Sincerely,
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
Mr. C. R. Green
427 Sheridan Road
Kenilworth, Illinois 60043
cc: Ed Schmults
dl
FORD i LIBRARY
CC: The Honorable John O. Marsh, Jr.
August 26, 1976
The President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Mr. President:
Re: Parens Patriae Legislation
Giving the fifty State Attorneys General the right to file
multi-million dollar antitrust claims for alleged price fixing
overcharges, on behalf of all state residents, is shocking.
But that is what the House and Senate have done. Even more
appalling, the legislation would permit state-retained private
"plaintiffs" lawyers to bring such suits.
There is no question that this authority in the hands of State
Attorneys General and private "plaintiffs" lawyers will foment
multi-million antitrust suits against many, many companies - -
the possible amount of damages can be terrific.
We strongly urge you, President Ford, to veto any bill which
comes to you with a parens patriae section in it.
Respectfully yours,
CR. Green
C. R. Green
427 Sheridan Road
Kenilworth, Illinois 60043
FORD & LIBRAR
C. R. Green
427 Sheridan Road
Kenilworth, Illinois 60043
GLENVIEW
El
U.S POSTAGE
AUG 3 0 '76
111 head 111 =
EMETER
5004045
The Honorable
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
September 22, 1976
Dear Mr. Mulligan:
Just a short note to thank you for
sending me a copy of your letter
to the President concerning the
antitrust legislation.
I have taken the liberty of sharing
this letter with those here at the
White House working on this matter.
We greatly appreciate your taking
the time to give us the benefit of
your views on this important issue.
Sincerely,
John O. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
Mr. Raymond J. Mulligan
President
Liggett Group Inc.
4100 Roxboro Road
Durham, North Carolina 27702
CC: Ed Schmults
dl
LIBRARY GERALD ? FORD
LiggeTT
roup
Liggett Group Inc.
4100 Roxboro Road, Durham, N. C. 27702
Raymond J. Mulligan
President
August 30, 1976
The President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Mr. President:
Your past record in vetoing inflationary, unproductive, and/or
inequitable legislative bills has been outstanding.
I urge you strongly to veto any bills containing parens patriae
features. Such legislation would be very counter-productive
and destructive.
Parens patriae is immoral, as it would result in large "black-
mail" litigation settlements. This could be severely damaging
to important companies, and very unfair to their shareowners.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully yours,
Raymond J. Mul igan
RJM:ald
CC: The Honorable Philip Buchen
The Honorable John Marsh, Jr.
The Honorable John Rhodes
The Honorable Hugh Scott
FORD & STATES LIBRARY
LiggeTT
roup
Liggett Group Inc. 4100 Roxboro Road
THE LARK
BURHAM
U.S.POSTAGE
Durham, N.C. 27702
AUG3076
13
N.C. P.B. 143765
The Honorable
John 0. Marsh, Jr.
Counsellor to the President
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500