The world according to Monsanto : pollution, corruption, and

scientists suppressed 163leading producer of GMOs were officially $21 million between 1998 and2001, with a record of $7.8 million in 2000, the year of Bush’s election.*Probably more decisive than these political expenses—rather modest inAmerican terms—was the ability to infiltrate, illustrated by a system alreadyglimpsed in the case of bovine growth hormone: the revolving door, atwhich, according to Smith, “Monsanto is the national champion.” “Take theBush administration,” he said, showing me a list covering several pages.“Four important departments are headed by people close to Monsanto, eitherbecause they’ve received contributions from the company or becausethey have worked directly for it. Attorney General John Ashcroft was backedby Monsanto when he ran for reelection in Missouri, and the companysupported Tommy Thompson, the secretary of health and human services[which oversees the FDA], when he ran for governor in Wisconsin. AnnVenneman, the secretary of agriculture, was on the board of directors of Calgene,owned by Monsanto. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was theCEO of Searle, a Monsanto subsidiary. And let’s not forget ClarenceThomas, who was a lawyer for Monsanto before working for Senator Danforthof Missouri and later being appointed to the Supreme Court.”On Smith’s list, which can in part be found on the Web, one discoversthat the revolving door moves people in at least four directions. 25 First, considermovements from the White House to Monsanto. For example, MarciaHale, former assistant to President Bill Clinton for intergovernmental affairs,was appointed director of international government affairs for Monsantoin 1997. Her colleague Josh King, former director of production forWhite House events, has continued his career as director of global communicationsin Monsanto’s Washington office. Mickey Kantor, U.S. trade representativefrom 1992 to 1997 and commerce secretary from 1996 to 1997,immediately thereafter joined the company’s board of directors, and so on.The second direction is that taken by former members of Congress andtheir staffs, who have become registered lobbyists for the company, such asformer Democratic congressman Toby Moffett, who became a politicalstrategist for Monsanto, and Ellen Boyle and John Orlando, former congressionalstaffers later hired as lobbyists.*For 2000, 2001, and 2002, these expenses also include lobbying by Pharmacia, which acquiredMonsanto in 2000 and resold it in 2002. These figures can be consulted on the Web site of CapitalEye: www.capitaleye.org-monsanto.asp. (Translator’s note: This site is no longer active.)