To Some in Hartford, Coke Is a Real Evil Thing - New York Times

To Some in Hartford, Coke Is a Real Evil Thing - New York Times: "Mr. Williams said Coca-Cola was paying lobbyists 'hundreds of thousands of dollars' to dissuade legislators from supporting a bill banning the sale of carbonated beverages, including diet sodas; sugary drinks and junk food, in the state's public schools. He said the Senate is expected to vote soon on the bill, which Mr. Williams and Gov. M. Jodi Rell, a Republican, announced with great fanfare in February.

Mr. Williams said that Coca-Cola, with vending machine contracts in 80 percent of Connecticut public schools, has threatened to rescind scholarships and academic and athletic enrichment programs if the proposal becomes law. He said a review of several contracts showed that Coca-Cola is providing financial incentives to schools to promote sodas over less profitable water and juice drinks, also sold by Coke.

'It's a cynical marketing ploy,' Mr. Williams said. 'They want to brand into the minds of our children the Coca-Cola name and brand.'

But a lawyer for Coca-Cola, R. Bartley Halloran, said on Thursday that the company was not involved in any 'nefarious activity,' such as threatening districts or pushing soda on young children, noting that it does not sell soda in elementary schools."