Day 012 - 18 Jul 94 - Page 71


     
     1        I think you said that there was a meeting in May, was
              there not?
     2        A.  I do not recall the exact date but there was a
              meeting, yes.
     3
         Q.   Right.  Was that just a meeting with McDonald's or were
     4        there other fastfood chains present at that meeting?
              A.  I believe we were told there were other fastfood
     5        chains.
 
     6   Q.   But they were not at the specific meeting?
              A.  That is correct.
     7
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  The second paragraph refers to individual
     8        meetings with each of the companies.
 
     9   MS. STEEL:  Right.
 
    10   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  The companies being representatives of the
              leading fastfood chains in the country, presumably?
    11        A.  That is correct.  There was no-one else at our meeting
              except McDonald's people.
    12
         MS. STEEL:  OK.  What do you remember of that meeting?  What
    13        agreement came out of it or was there any agreement?
              A.  What I remember was, the impression I was left with
    14        was, that this letter was generated and the meeting was
              generated in order that California and Texas, Attorneys
    15        General of those office, could get on the publicity
              bandwagon that they had missed out in New York in
    16        connection with the voluntary arrangement we had made with
              Mr. Abrams' office.
    17
              There was no agreement came out of this.  It was just an
    18        exchange of information.  They were there to enquire about
              how we were doing things, how we saw the law and for them
    19        to tell us how they saw the law.
 
    20   Q.   So are you saying they were not doing it out of a concern
              for the consumers that lived in their respective states,
    21        they were just doing it as a publicity stunt?
              A.  I am not saying a publicity stunt; I am saying the
    22        timing, I believe, was such that they felt it was a good
              time for them to get publicity since they saw it had been
    23        useful in the New York arena.
 
    24   Q.   What do you mean by them getting "publicity which they saw
              had been useful in New York", what do you mean by that?
    25        A.  Well, it has been my impression, having dealt with
              these officers for a number of years, that their actions 
    26        against McDonald's are in large part brought in order to 
              engender publicity for their offices, whether it be in 
    27        terms of at a time they wish to build up their budget and
              perhaps ask for more allocations for their office, or
    28        perhaps be it near election time when publicity is good.
 
    29        McDonald's is very visible and a company which the mere
              mention of McDonald's generates a great deal of
    30        publicity.  The fact of the matter is in all the years we
              have dealt with Mr. Gardner, with the other Attorneys

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