Liquor Wholesalers Enlist Mormon Legislator to Lead Quest

Alcohol wholesalers have enlisted Mormon Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) to lead their quest for passage of anti-competitive liquor legislation during the 112th Congress [see a copy of the bill here]. Chaffetz is most likely a well-meaning guy who believes he can promote virtue with policies that make alcohol less accessible and more expensive. Publicly, he [...]

Get Ready for the 2011 battle on Wine Regulation

Word on the street has been that wholesalers would not try to get H.R. 5034–a bill that would allow states to increase regulation and limit direct shipping of wine–to the floor during the lame-duck session of Congress. However, they do plan to make this an issue in 2011, which underscores why it’s a good time [...]

Wholesale Political Manipulation on H.R. 5034

Sometimes politicians say things so dumb that no one could have made them up. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff told the Salt Lake City Tribune yesterday that the National Beer Wholesalers Association drafted testimony he offered before the House Judiciary Committee earlier in the day on H.R. 5034. H.R. 5034 is an alcohol regulatory bill [...]

Wholesalers Get Hearing: Wine Shipping & Regulation

Today, the House Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on H.R. 5034–the bill they hope will give states more power to regulate alcohol and possibly limit direct shipping of wine to consumers. Since it was introduced in April, this bill has collected 146 sponsors, more than 1/3 of the House of representatives. That’s pretty amazing [...]

HR 5034–Constitutional Problems?

Kane’s Beverage News Daily (need subscription) reports today that a “well-placed lobbyist” in the industry informed them that hearings on HR 5034 have been put on hold because of potential constitutional problems with the bill. Proponents denied this to be the case, but hearings have indeed been postponed. Although never being placed on the official [...]

Modern Day Baptists & Bootleggers Support H.R. 5034

The Baptist and bootleggers’ coalition once ensured alcohol laws would be tough. Back before prohibition and during, they partnered in efforts to make alcohol illegal, which made Baptists feel good while lining the pockets of organized crime, i.e., bootleggers. Their legacy lives on in a modern-day version of their self-serving coalition. Today’s partnership is between [...]

Growing Battle on Anti-Consumer Wine Reguations

Today, the New York Post ran my article on regulations against wine sales in grocery stores. Unfortunately, New York’s silly regulations are just the tip of the iceberg. Last week, the Colorado legislature rejected a bill to allow limited grocery store sales of wine there. The prospects for a ballot initiative in the state on [...]