With the Senate’s passage of the Moonshine Bill, the focus now shifts to Rep. Joe Carr’s version in the House and the liquor interests Carr said his bill was for.
Two attorneys for IASIS Healthcare in Franklin, TN have asked Republican Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13) and Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) to push legislation to allow liquor manufactures across the state of Tennessee.
IASIS Healthcare Secretary and General Counsel Frank Coyle and IASIS Healthcare Operations Counsel Heath Clark were vaguely identified in an April 30, 2009 article in the Daily News Journal as “entreprenuers” who Sen. Ketron said sought his legislative help to bring distilleries to Tennessee, promising him one would locate in Rutherford County.
Both Clark and Coyle are not registered as lobbyists with the state of Tennessee.
Clark used to work for Bass, Berry & Simms, a legal and lobbying firm that represents the liquor industry, including Kentucky-based distilled spirits manufacturer Brown-Forman. If that name sounds familiar, it should. Sen. Ketron failed to get a bill passed for Brown-Forman back in 2006 that would have allowed a $10 million liquor museum in downtown Nashville. Interestingly enough, the current legislation sponsored by Sen. Ketron and Rep. Carr could allow Brown-Forman to pursue those plans without ever establishing its own distillery in Rutherford County or elsewhere.
As written, Sen. Ketron’s bill would allow a licensed distillery to operate a still of any size within zoning guidelines. That would include a very small “craft” still. Brown-Forman could easily have their $10 million museum in association with a small “craft” distillery through Sen. Ketron’s new bill without all the fuss of paying lobbyists and drawing attention to a previous failed effort.
On April 23 we reported that Rep. Joe Carr announced his intention to help the two IASIS attorneys bring a liquor distillery to Rutherford County. When asked who these people were by his colleagues, Rep. Carr had no idea but assured the House they were not contributors to his campaign. You can watch the embarrassing exchange in this video.
The reason Rep. Carr had no idea who his bill was for is now clear thanks to an article in Daily News Journal. Rep. Carr’s bill wasn’t by request of any voter in his district. It was requested by Sen. Ketron who asked Rep. Carr to sponsor a House version, and Rep. Carr did it without asking important questions or doing his homework.
The voters of Rutherford County deserve to know more about who is really behind Sen. Ketron and Rep. Carr’s effort to bring a liquor manufacturer to Rutherford County. What does IASIS think about their moonlighting attorney’s seeking this legislation?
Rutherford County deserves to know where they plan to put a liquor distillery, and we deserve due diligence before our lawmakers do the bidding of the liquor industry. Instead, Sen. Ketron and Rep. Carr are playing games and hiding the true interests behind their legislation.
[...] including one “promised” to Rutherford County? The Rutherford County Dems are asking all the right questions (and bringing the funny with the Photoshop): “As written, Sen. Ketron’s bill would allow a [...]
Why do you call this a moonshine bill if the bill you’re refering to mentions liquor but not moonshine??? Are we talking about Tn-House bill #1720? Because it says and I quote,” Alcoholic Beverages - As introduced, provides that manufacturing of intoxicating liquors is allowed in counties that have approved retail package sales and liquor-by-the-drink sales through voter referendum; requires manufacturer to obtain appropriate licenses.” Where do you see ‘moonshine’ legalization in this piece of legislation???????? I doubt you know how to read.Let alone know the difference between moonshine and liquor!!!
Dr.Drew
P.S.-This would also bring
jobs to Rutherford, and
because the liquor goes
through a three(3) tier
process it is safe to say
“this liquor will NOT be
distributed to employees
nor other peoples including
Rep.Carr nor Sen.Ketron!