Big tobacco finds friend in Missouri

To the editor:

It seems our religious right has both legs stuck, one in Iraq and the other bogged down in sleaze. Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff is facing prison and will no doubt rat out other corrupted stooges. Indicted House Speaker Tom DeLay has been forced to step down as his criminal investigation continues. This vacuum has inspired other Republican cronies to step forward in an attempt to fill the void. One such candidate for the speaker's post is our own religious-right congressman from Missouri, Roy Blunt, who has been called a cheap DeLay knockoff.

According to National Public Radio, Congressman Blunt's wife is a lobbyist for large tobacco firms. Perhaps that is why Blunt tried to insert a provision helping a tobacco firm into a bill setting up the Homeland Security Department.

Rest assured, even if Blunt fails to achieve DeLay's status, cigarettes have found a big friend here in Missouri, and big tobacco companies will operate unimpeded in the Show Me State.

ALAN GERECKE, Jackson