Posted on 03/24/2008 8:13:04 PM PDT by SmithL
NASHVILLE - In two draft opinions released today, the Tennessee Ethics Commission's staff suggests that a former top aide to Gov. Phil Bredesen and a prominent Nashville public relations firm have both violated state laws by failing to register as lobbyists.
One case involves Robert Gowan, who resigned last November as a senior advisor, then went to work for Southern Strategies Group, a lobbying firm.
The other involves Siegenthaler Public Relations, which operates a Web site - www.stopteendrinkingtn.org - that urges citizens to contact legislators in opposition to bills that would allow the sale of wine in grocery stores and by ordering over the Internet.
In both cases, the commission staff says the activities, as described in a requests for the opinions, amount to lobbying under state law and require registration.
Gowan himself asked for the opinion dealing with his situation. Sen. Doug Jackson, D-Dickson, requested the other Siegenthaler's activities, which are funded by the state's wholesale liquor association. Jackson is sponsor of the Internet wine sales bill, which is opposed by the liquor wholesalers and the "Stop Teen Drinking" campaign organized by the public relations firm.
Things like this seem to be happening a lot in Tennessee lately.
Notice that the Governor’s political party isn’t mentioned for some reason. Time to play Guess The Party. It’s of course Democratic. What do you expect from the media.
Nanny State Ping...........
Sounds to me like the anti-smokers————AGAIN.
Of course the anti-drinkers are financed by the same folks as the anti-smokers.
Smokers are generally polite folks and don’t like saying “I told you so”...............but guess what? We did.
The convenient conservatives on this site have NO ONE to blame but themselves for this bogus bovine exrement.
This is not about anti-drinking.
This is about corrupt liquor wholesalers not wanting competition, and using lobbyists and fake anti-drinking websites to keep control of their bought-and-paid-for legislature.
Absolutely no different than the anti-smoker lobbyists.
Find and follow the money
Yeah, the teenagers I know get faced on Pinot Noir on a regular basis. < /sarc>
You got THAT right, Gabz!!!
Thanks for the ping!
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