NASHVILLE — Contributions totaling more than $364,000 have poured into lawmakers' campaign accounts over the past two years from liquor wholesalers, package stores and the beer industry — three groups that have traditionally opposed changing state law to allow wine to be sold in supermarkets.
An Associated Press analysis of campaign finance data shows that six members of the Senate Finance Committee, which is scheduled to take up a bill Tuesday to hold local referendums on whether to expand wine sales, received a combined $38,000 from the three political action committees.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris of Collierville alone received $13,000, while the remaining five members of the Senate panel received no contributions from the three groups.
Norris, who voted against the measure when it eked out of the Senate State and Local Government Committee by a one-vote margin last week, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
"There's no greater champion of the people's right to vote than I am, that's not what it's about," Norris told the panel last week. "I believe people need to know and have as much detail and information about what they're voting for or against when they do that."
Members of the subcommittee scheduled to take first House action on the measure on Wednesday received $15,000 from the three PACs, while members of the full committee received $10,000 more.
The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee PAC contributed $168,200, the Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers PAC gave $114,291 and $81,569 came from the beer wholesalers. Lobbyist for the three groups either didn't return calls or declined to comment.
The groups' contributions to key House members may have been depressed because Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, didn't announce her reshuffled committee assignments until a fundraising blackout went into effect during the legislative session. For example, Local Government Chairman Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, received nothing from the three groups.
A Middle Tennessee State University poll released last week showed 65 percent support supermarket wine sales, while 24 percent oppose it. The telephone poll of 650 Tennesseans has a margin of error of plus or minus four 4 percentage points.
But opponents say the change would adversely affect the about 600 excising liquor stores around the state. They also raise concerns about higher-proof alcohol becoming more widely available to minors.
Remove Money from Politics writes:
March 4, 2013
9:25 PM
Minors don't go to grocery stores to get liquor. They get an adult to buy it for them, it doesn't matter where it's sold. What a silly argument from "opponents" AKA liquor stores.
Imker writes:
March 4, 2013
10:37 PM
Did anybody see any of these legislators fighting to keep Wal-Mart out of their districts? Wal-Mart decimated a lot of local stores. What our legislators say and do depends on who's handing out the money in their direction. SIXTY-FIVE PERCENT OF TENNESSEANS WANT WINE IN GROCERY STORES. You better listen to that, because voteers outnumber all your liquor store lobbyists.
Monty writes:
March 5, 2013
5:48 PM
This issue suggests a form of legal extortion by the legislators. Generate a bill that threatens one sector of an industry. And all those who have something to lose throw money into the lawmaker's coffers. This has come up before. Let the proposed legislation fail. Let five years pass. Bring it up again and open your hands for another round of money giving. Anyone ever think maybe we are ALL being played here? Just a little dance they do every now and then when they want a little cash infusion. Something stinks here!
rockjock2000 writes:
March 7, 2013
1:41 PM
I don't even drink alcohol and I support the wine in stores measure. I mean, it's not like Kroger is going to carry high priced, top quality wines on their shelves. But if someone wanted a cheap bottle of wine to go with their dinner, it doesn't make sense that they would have to make a separate trip or another stop to pick up a bottle.
wintroub writes:
March 8, 2013
9:25 AM
Pay attention, Folks. This bill doesn't let grocery stores sell wine. It lets county voters decide if grocery stores in their county can sell wine. Do you think bible thumper havens like Johnson County will pass a referendum allowing grocery stores to sell wine? Even if such a cataclysmic event did happen, do you think the local mullahs would sit still if Food Lion, Food Country, Fred's, the gas station convenience stores, etc. tried putting wine on their shelves?
rockjock2000 writes:
March 8, 2013
3:52 PM
That does make more sense, wintroub, that the citizens of each county would be able to decide if they want wine in grocery stores. I didn't think that wine sales in C-stores would be allowed, even under the terms of this bill. C-stores are not supermarkets.
provided.