By Robert Cohen Executive Director John Grisham wrote the best selling novel. Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington starred in the blockbuster movie.

THE STORY

Two Supreme Court justices are assassinated so that an evil oil billionaire can petition the president to appoint environmentally unfriendly justices to America's highest court. It's all about politics, multi-national firms, and dollars.

TODAY'S PELICAN BRIEF

In 1994, Monsanto Agricultural Company gained approval for their genetically engineered bovine growth hormone. That hormone became the most controversial drug application in the history of America's Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Monsanto's hormone caused cancer in laboratory animals, and was banned in Europe and Canada. Monsanto's genetically engineered crops continue to make headline news throughout the world, and their patented seeds have become the seeds of controversy.

In the 2000 election, Monsanto donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in PAC money and soft money to political candidates.

The man receiving the second highest total dollars from Monsanto was Larry Combest (R-TX). He got $2000. Combest is the powerful chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

Who got the most from Monsanto? The winner of the Monsanto sweepstakes with $10,000 was John Ashcroft (R-MO). Ashcroft will be George Bush's Attorney General.

Follow the Monsanto connection to George Bush's presidency. This brief will be more convincing than Grisham's Pelican Brief.

FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT

Monsanto's lawyer was appointed to the Supreme Court by George Bush, Sr. The deciding swing voter gave the election to George, Jr. That justice: Clarence Thomas, Esq.

SECOND

Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, was president of Searle Pharmaceuticals, purchased by Monsanto.

THIRD

Ann Veneman, Secretary of Agriculture, was on the board of directors of Calgene Pharmaceuticals, purchased by Monsanto.

FOURTH

Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Health, was a supporter of Monsanto in Wisconsin. He received $50,000 from biotech firms is his election run, and used state funds to set up a a $317 million biotech zone in Wisconsin.

FIFTH

Mitch Daniels, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, was the vice president of corporate strategy at Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company. Eli Lilly and Monsanto developed the genetically engineered bovine growth hormone. Lilly "owns" the European "franchise." Daniels' presence insures that the bovine growth hormone will one day be approved for use in Europe.

SIXTH

The House of Representatives Agriculture Committee Chairman, Larry Combest (R-TX), named Richard Pombo to head Agriculture's dairy, livestock, and poultry sub-committee. Pombo will have enormous power in chairing this committee.

In 1994, the Dairy Committee considered a bill that would label milk and milk products containing the genetically engineered hormone. The Dairy Committee stalled the proposed bill until the 1994 elections. When the 1994 session of Congress expired, the bill died. It was never even voted upon. A subsequent investigation of Pombo revealed that he accepted money directly from Monsanto while voting on a bill that impacted Monsanto's future, and the future of biotechnology.

SEVENTH

Last, but not least. John Ashcroft, Attorney General. The one man out of 535 members of the House of Representatives and the Senate receiving the greatest amount of financial support from Monsanto. He received five times the amount of money as the congressman finishing second.

Where do Americans finish in this stranger than fiction real-life drama? Last.

Back to top of Document