U.S. Seeks Higher Damages in Tobacco Industry Suit
July 19, 2005 05:54

The Justice Department on Monday asked the Supreme Court for the legal authority once again to seek $280 billion in damages from the tobacco industry in a lawsuit that has become a growing political liability for the Bush administration. Even though the trial judge in the case has not yet issued a final ruling, the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to intervene by overturning an appellate ruling in February that limited the damages it could seek. The department said that the February decision, if allowed to stand, would hurt the government's ability to bring similar racketeering cases against businesses and industries and that it would have "enormous consequences for the American public." http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/19/politics/19tobacco.html?th&emc=th