"Anyone know whether the tobacco companies can sue the states for misuse of the settlement payments? Or taxpayers since the lawsuit was on their behalf?"
I'm pretty sure that a lawsuit is not possible as part of the settlement. However, an attempt was made to put the spending of the settlement money on the ballot in the state of Michigan. Don't worry, the socialists soundly defeated that attempt to spend the money for what was claimed as the cost to the state.
The only way for the money to be available for this pork spending is for the cost to not have been valid in the beginning. Remember this when smoking ban legislation is being discussed.
Sorry that Michigan wasn't successful. Perhaps another state could take a shot here: one with an initiative process like California which can bypass a legislature and put measures directly on a ballot. There's little hope for spending discipline from either party now that the money is flowing.
The only way for the money to be available for this pork spending is for the cost to not have been valid in the beginning.
*Exactly* they're caught in a BIG LIE. But will the MSM hold them accountable? Nope. Will activists? No way.
Expect this very same "revenue enhancement" tactic to be used elsewhere. I still cannot believe people were stupid enough to fall for the war on tobacco when we'd had Fed-mandated warnings on packs, cartons and ads for one or two generations! It's a "feel good" thing. The libs can say "we care" and "we're protecting your children from evil corporations" while their *true* goal is to get more money to pay off special interests, enlarge government, make it more intrusive and grow their socialist power.