Mike Stratton
EXCERPT:
Here's what the Journal didn't mention about Stratton:
1) In 1994, Stratton was paid more than $90k by Tobacco Giant RJR to develop a grass roots campaign of Smokers' Rights Groups, presumably to push back on increased regulation of smoking and lawsuits. (Click here.)

According to an a report by the American Lung Association of Colorado,

"RJR employed state and local recruiters to organize smokers in cities and towns across Colorado, and paid field organizers to keep them motivated. The company used public relations experts to maximize the groups effectiveness. RJR's goal was to establish 25 local smokers' rights groups in Colorado alone. By 1991, RJR's field coordinator William Fox had established smokerÕs rights groups in Denver, Englewood, Pueblo, Greeley, Fort Collins, Aurora, Arvada, Colorado Springs, Longmont, Loveland, Boulder, Lakewood, Grand Junction, Gilpin County and Lamar, and planned groups in Littleton, Northglenn, Thornton, Westminster and Broomfield.(24)

RJR piloted its Partisan Project in California, Oregon and Colorado, since the industry was facing excise tax increases and smoking ban initiatives in these states. The company planned to deploy smokersÕ rights groups "in all metro areas over 25,000 population and other targeted areas" in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. (108) RJR also employed Mike Stratton of the Denver firm Stratton, Reiter, Dupree and Durante to organize smokers' rights groups in Colorado.(110)

http://www.westword.com/related/to/Rick+Reiter/">Rick Reiter

Gasp For Air
Tobacco Education Center
RJR's Field Force Included a Former Aide to Governor Romer (2000)
Subj: RJR's Field Force Unravelled #1

Date: Monday, March 20, 2000 12:45:46 PM
From:
To:
Title: Public Issues 1994 Plans (940000)
Doc # 51253 1448 (PART 1)
Web site: http://www.rjrtdocs.com

This document unravels RJ Reynolds field force in 1994, including the names and assignments of field operatives that where in charge of coordinating and developing the smokers' rights movement in various states and how much they were paid. Many of these RJR operatives, their activities, and some internal documents were mentioned in the 1996 May/June issue of Mother Jones. Now, we have an opportunity to see the specifics.

Note of Interest: Mike Stratton and Rick Reiter are both from Colorado. Stratton was a political aide to former Governor Roy Romer.

Galleon Hedge Fund Scandal
EXCERPT:
740
views Get Business Alerts

Email Comments 145 Research assistance by Claire Schneiderman

The story of Galleon Group, the hedge fund at the heart of the biggest insider-trading scandal in decades, has plenty of colorful characters from a billionaire whose charitable donations ended up aiding rebels in Sri Lanka to a foul-mouthed ex-Bear Stearns executive who befriended a mild-mannered IBM vice president.

Here's a guide to the scandal's most colorful quotes and anecdotes:

- Leon Shaulov, a loudmouth senior trader at Galleon, once turned on a colleague, Gary Rosenbach, in front of the rest of the staff, screaming: "You're a disease, you're a jinx."

- Galleon founder Raj Rajaratnam once "paid $4 million to have Kenny Rogers come to a birthday party at his house and sing his favorite song, 'The Gambler,' over and over again. Kenny refused to go on after a dozen times."

- Anyone who arrived late at Galleon's morning meeting of 70 analysts, portfolio managers and traders was fined $25.

Straight from the indictment of co-defendants Danielle Chiesi and Mark Kurland, both from the hedge fund New Castle, and Robert Moffat, the IBM officer who provided them with information regarding AMD, IBC, and Sun Microsystems, come some incredibly insightful quotes caught on government wiretaps: