We’ve shared from time to time with our readers that some cities across the country are using taxpayer dollars to run ads that bash our industry.  Well, this topic is picking up steam in a major way.  Federal lawmakers on the House Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce and Government Oversight committees are questioning high-ranking executive branch officials about the fact that these ads potentially break a longstanding prohibition on lobbying with taxpayer money.  Rob Bluey wrote today on hotair.com:

“Members of Congress are turning up the heat on the Obama administration for doling out millions of dollars in grant money that was used to attack soda and, in some case, lobby for higher taxes.  As part of President Obama’s stimulus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided grants to communities for a variety of anti-obesity measures, including advertisements. The funding is part of a $230 million initiative called “Communities Putting Prevention to Work.” In many cases, the funds were used to attack American-made products like Coke and Pepsi.”

You can check out the rest of the article here.  It’s definitely worth a read.