Altria Client Services spent $3.1M in 1st qtr lobbying federal officials for tobacco company

Tobacco company’s rep spent $3.1M lobbying in 1Q

WASHINGTON — Altria Client Services Inc., on behalf of the nation’s biggest cigarette maker, spent $3.1 million lobbying the federal government in the first quarter on issues including the budget, tobacco and health care, according to a recent disclosure form.

This is less than the $3.6 million the company spent on lobbying a year earlier, but more than the $2.6 million it spent in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Other issues Altria lobbied on in January through March included taxes, Medicare and preventing cigarette trafficking, according to its April 20 filing with the House clerk’s office.

Altria lobbied only Congress during the quarter.

Altria Group Inc., based in Richmond, Va., is the owner of Philip Morris USA and makes top-selling Marlboro cigarettes and other tobacco products.