Bush administration drastically cuts penalties sought for in tobacco trial from $130 billion to $10 billion
Friday, June 17, 2005 Bush appointee Robert McCallum overrode Justice Department lawyers who had been handling the government’s tobacco racketeering trial for the past 5 years. McCallum ordered the lawyers to reduce the penalties sought at the close of the nine-month trial from $130 billion to $10 billion, angering some of the trial lawyers to the point where it is reported they threatened to quit their jobs. “Everyone is asking, ‘Why now?’ ” said an…