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Lobbying group targets GM to halt its support of MADD |
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Bradenton Herald
JEFFREY McCRACKEN
Knight Ridder Newspapers
DETROIT - General Motors Corp., which is a lightning rod for criticism on everything from air pollution to auto quality, has now become a target for one of its charitable efforts - its financial and political push to combat drunken driving.
A national campaign - called MADDatGM - has been launched with the backing of 17,000 bars, taverns and liquor stores to attack the automaker and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, mostly for their efforts to lower legal blood-alcohol levels. The effort has so far been a low-key one, but GM officials say the Washington-based trade group behind it is threatening that its members will quit buying GM vehicles for corporate fleet use - which could cost the automaker millions of dollars.
The campaign, which already has a Web site and will distribute posters and coasters at various stores and bars, argues that MADD is no longer just trying to halt drunken driving, but has become a "prohibitionist group" that wants to criminalize all drinking. The campaign argues that GM, with its long-running support of MADD, supports prohibition and that tavern or liquor-store owners should think twice about buying GM cars or trucks.
MADD denies that it's trying to halt social drinking, saying its mission is focused on three things: preventing drunk driving, helping victims of drunken driving and halting underage drinking. MADD notes the MADDatGM push is from businesses that make money off alcohol sales and are angry MADD successfully lobbied for national blood-alcohol levels for drunken driving.
Outsiders say GM seems caught between its support of MADD, its desire for the positive publicity that comes with supporting MADD and the threat of losing millions of dollars in business from personal or commercial sales to bar owners, liquor stores and beer, wine and liquor distributors.
The MADDatGM campaign seems, in part, timed to the fact that GM's five-year commitment has wound down.
"We want to stop GM from contributing to MADD. We have a problem with GM money going to criminalize social drinkers. GM needs to recognize it is attacking legitimate businesses," said Rick Berman, the high-powered Washington, D.C., lobbyist running the MADDatGM campaign.
Berman has a history of representing tobacco firms, restaurant chains or beer distributors in fights against labor unions, consumer-health groups and efforts to raise the minimum wage.
Berman estimates a "few hundred thousand dollars" has been spent on the MADDatGM campaign, but that could grow if the effort has success. The American Beverage Licensees, a Washington-based trade group representing 12,000 bars and 5,000 liquor stores, is funding it.
"All of my clients are corporations, so it's odd we are taking on GM," said Berman. "But I think someone inside GM is trying to buy MADD's silence on issues like the speed of vehicles or driver distraction that come from something like OnStar or satellite radio."
MADD and GM both chafe at Berman's comments. MADD notes GM specified its money go to underage drinking prevention for three years and the next two years to help people harmed in drunken driving.
MADD spokeswoman Heidi Castle says preventing driver distraction is not MADD's focus.
"Our mission is to prevent drunken driving. We want people on the road that are safe. We are not against drinking by people who are over age 21. This group is just trying to scare people because of our effort to lower the blood-alcohol standard to 08," said Castle.
The national standard for drunken driving is blood-alcohol content of .08 percent as part of legislation signed in 2000.
A spokeswoman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the federal agency in charge of auto safety, defended MADD, saying because of them the number of alcohol-related deaths has dropped from 26,173 in 1982 to 17,013 in 2003.
"We have no problems with MADD. They are getting the word out about drunken driving," said NHTSA spokeswoman Liz Neblett.
Joan Claybrook, president of the consumer-advocacy group Public Citizen and former NHTSA head, has butted heads with both Berman and GM. She's also a long-time supporter of MADD.
"I think this is just a very shrewd, tactical stunt to intimidate anyone who supports MADD," said Claybrook. "I don't think it will intimidate GM. They are the big kid on the block. Maybe it will backfire and make GM look good for their support of MADD."
Berman said he's had two meetings in Washington with GM lobbyists but said he was "given a polite stiff-arm." DaimlerChrysler, Nissan and Ford also contribute financially to MADD, but they are not part of this campaign.
Adler, the GM spokesman, said GM doesn't feel it has lost any business yet due to the anti-MADD campaign. Steve O'Toole, GM director of regulatory affairs for safety, is treasurer for MADD and a former GM official, Charles Bab*****, was MADD chairman from 1996 to 1998.
"We are aware of the campaign, but we're not aware of any negative feedback from it," said Adler. |
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