You can almost hear dueling banjos in the background. Moonshine stills have been outlawed in the state of Tennessee and elsewhere for quite some time, but Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) introduced a new bill that aims to change all that. Instead of focusing on our tremendous budget problems, Joe decided to legalize rogue liquor production.

Rep. Carr wasted 15 minutes of the legislature’s time today trying to pass HB 1720 to allow anyone to manufacture liquor in any county that has allowed by referendum liquor stores or sales of liquor by the drink.

If that sounds crazy to you, you are not alone.

In this embarassing video clip, Rep. Carr was met with wide opposition from some of his own House Republican colleagues. Rep. Stacey Campfield  (R- 18) asked whether Rep. Carr had a buddy with a moonshine still. Perhaps his worst critic was Rep. Carr himself as this exchange with Rep. Henry Fincher (D-42) reveals.

FINCHER: This bill is expanding the number of counties in Tennessee where liquor can be manufactured correct?
CARR: Yes.
FINCHER: How many counties are you extending this to that don’t currently have that right now?
CARR: 41
FINCHER: 41 out of the 95 in the state of Tennessee are now going to be, if this bill passes, are going to be able to manufacture whiskey, brandy, vodka, all that stuff, right?
CARR: 41 counties in the state of Tennessee have had a voter referendum on liquor by the drink and retail package sales which, with, according to this bill, does authorize them to go through the local ordinance and zoning process to undertake and have a manufacturing facility that does that, yes sir.
FINCHER: OK, so they’re is going to be more liquor and more whiskey and more vodka running around out here in our state because of this bill, correct?
CARR: I wouldn’t assume so, I would assume that would, uh, you could assume that. Yes sir.
FINCHER: OK, is that a good thing for the state, that we have more liquor out there, more people drinking, more people drinking and driving, more people doing all the things that alcohol makes them do, sir?
CARR: Well I think you are making an assumption that I’m not willing to make, and we’re also providing jobs for farmers. We’re also providing jobs for entrepreneurs. So, like in any bill that comes before this house, sir, uh, there are good and questionable components to the bill. On the face, I think it’s a good bill and it deserves passage.

Rep. Carr would like for you to believe he’s working in Nashville for you. In this exchange, pay close attention to Rep. Carr’s mysterious lapse of memory when asked for the names of the three distillery groups Rep. Carr mentioned this bill is really for.

One of these “prevailing interests” as Rep. Carr called them just happens to be a distillery Rep. Carr said is interested in locating to Rutherford County, if only a legislator could pave their way. And he doesn’t know their name?

FINCHER: Are you aware of any studies that show it’s actually going to create jobs, that anyone’s going to be able to open up a big still to cook more whiskey. Has a study been done?
CARR: I’m not aware of a study, but I am aware of three groups that are interested in opening small distilleries in various parts of the state for the purpose of not just creating jobs but creating job opportunities both to farmers and to the local citizens where those distilleries would reside.
FINCHER: Who are these groups?
CARR: I, I, don’t know them by name, but I know there’s a group that interested in Humphries County. There’s a group in Davidson County, and there’s a group in Rutherford County.
FINCHER: OK, did any of these groups contribute to your campaign?
CARR: No.
FINCHER: Well, how do you know if you don’t know their name?
CARR: Because I know who contributed to my campaign.
FINCHER: But if you don’t know the three groups how do you know they didn’t contribute to your campaign?
CARR: Because I know who contributed to my came [sic] Representative.

[Representative Casada is called out of order for shouting on the floor]

The concerns continued with numerous other representatives to the point that Rep. Carr made a motion to roll the bill into the next legislative calendar. That may give Rep. Carr more time to waste on behalf of the liquor lobby instead of working for the people of Rutherford County, but he might want to think about using the time more constructively.