Altria Group's political profile for the 2024 cycle reveals contributions of approximately $11.47 million and lobbying expenditures of about $13.23 million, as reported through FEC and Senate records. This level of political spending underscores the company's significant engagement in political financing.

The article notes that former Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt married a lobbyist for tobacco giant Altria Group. This connection highlights the potential for undue corporate influence in the political process and raises questions about conflicts of interest between corporate lobbying and political decision-making.

Altria Group has come under scrutiny for its political contributions and lobbying efforts, notably through its long-standing support of ALEC. The company’s senior director of government affairs spoke at ALEC’s 2023 conference, urging state lawmakers to deregulate the tobacco industry, a move that critics argue undermines public health and environmental commitments while favoring deregulation and corporate interests. Moreover, the company’s lack of full transparency on political contributions further intensifies concerns regarding its influence on policymaking.

Altria Group's PAC contributed a total of $821,000 to a range of federal candidates during the 2023-2024 election cycle, with donations going to both Democrats and Republicans. This political spending is emblematic of corporate influence in electoral politics, with potential implications for policies that may favor authoritarian interests.

A recent investigative article reveals that Altria Group holds the highest number of state-level lobbying registrations, with 300 registered lobbyists spread across all 50 states and D.C. The report underscores how this extensive lobbying operation reinforces the tobacco industry's efforts to shape public policy despite its history of racketeering and deceptive practices.

A 2018 academic paper highlights that the global tobacco industry, including companies like Altria, continues to rely on hazardous child labor practices in its supply chain, raising significant human rights and ethical concerns.