U.S. Chamber Condemns Action Against Lead Paint Manufacturers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce condemned Rhode Island's decision to sue the former manufacturers of lead paint – a product that hasn't been sold since the 1950's.

"There they go again," said Bruce Josten, Executive Vice President for the Chamber. "The Rhode Island Attorney General's lawsuit is merely the most recent example of the unholy alliance between greedy trial lawyers and overzealous government officials to extort massive recoveries from legitimate businesses. This lawsuit, and others like it, grossly contort and abuse the judicial system."

"As we've said before, predatory lawsuits like this one are becoming all too common," Josten added. "If this trend continues, economic and social decisions affecting all Americans will be made by trial lawyers and not by our democratically elected legislatures."

"This practice began with the state lawsuits against the tobacco industry, moved to firearms and has now spread to the former manufacturers of lead paint. Unfortunately these cases only result in years of legal wrangling that benefit fee-hungry trial lawyers and erode the rule of law," said Josten.

The United States Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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