Day 012 - 18 Jul 94 - Page 17
1 Q. The paragraph says that the test programme - the one in
New York State- was voluntary; is that right?
2 A. Yes, that is correct.
3 Q. "4. Nationwide extension of the in- restaurant
distribution program had been under active consideration
4 for months before the company heard from your offices".
Is that true or is it false?
5 A. That is true.
6 Q. "As a first step in that direction, the company had
already decided on its own initiative -- again before we
7 heard from your offices -- to extend the New York test
program to parts of New Jersey and Connecticut and to the
8 District of Columbia". Is that true or false?
A. That is correct.
9
Q. Then one sees at the bottom of that paragraph why your
10 attorneys say that that refutes the accusation. Turn over
the page to paragraph 5: "The timing of McDonald's
11 decision to put its ingredient and nutrition booklet in
its restaurants nationwide was dictated by the company's
12 progress in developing that booklet and its own judgment
concerning the level of consumer interest". True or
13 false?
A. That is true. That was a logical extension for
14 first having the programme in New York, and then having
progressed into New Jersey, Connecticut, and to the
15 District of Columbia. It was the next logical
progression.
16
Q. "Contrary to the impression conveyed by statements
17 reported in the press, neither of your offices threatened
to initiate legal action against McDonald's. We continue
18 to believe, as we told representatives of your offices at
a meeting in Los Angeles on May 21, that nutrition and
19 ingredient disclosure is plainly not now required of
restaurants, quick- service or otherwise, under the law of
20 Texas or California". Did you attend that meeting in Los
Angeles?
21 A. I did, and this is correct. We made the information
available because it was the right thing to do, we
22 believed.
23 Q. Then 6: "In contrast to the situation in the New York,
McDonald's did not enter into any agreement with your
24 offices,much less with the other unidentified states on
whose behalf you were reportedly speaking." You have told
25 us about that: "Following 21st May meeting at which you
told us of your concerns, we received a June 3 letter
26 requesting us to implement voluntarily a detailed program
----" We looked at that?
27 A. Yes.
28 Q. "We had several telephone conversations with your
representatives late in June and reported that we would
29 not be able to spell out the company's plans until after
the 4th of July holiday. In a July 7 telephone call we
30 told your representatives that the company had decided to
extend its New York test program nationwide." Can you
