In a comment I posted yesterday over at the RuCo Dems site, I suggested that their spin on Rep. Carr/Sen. Ketron’s bill to allow the proliferation of distilleries in several counties was woefully inadequate – and downright dishonest.

I just wanted to let you know that it has been deleted! What an outrage… they’ll take my posts (the ones that suit their spin) and post them all over the web, but when I shed a little light on their lies, well – they just can’t handle it.

I was hoping I could expect better from Mr. Fagan, et al. – guess not.

The Rutherford County Democratic Party has twice attacked Representative Joe Carr for HB 1720, which reads:

SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 57-2-103, is amended by adding thefollowing subsections (d) and (e):

(d) Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (c) above, in any county where both retail package liquor sales and liquor-by-the-drink have been approved through voter referendum within the county, it shall be lawful to manufacture intoxicating liquors and/or intoxicating drinks within the boundaries of such county.

(e) Any manufacturer’s license issued pursuant to subsection (c) or (d) above shall comply with the provisions of § 57-3-202.

On two separate occasions, the Democrats have suggested that Representative Carr sponsored this bill due to some special relationship with the liquor lobby. RuCo Dems suggested:

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?

In a later interview with the Daily News Journal, Senate sponsor Bill Ketron listed the names of those who requested the bill be sponsored, none of which appear on Representative Carr’s financial disclosure, as Democrats suggest. From the article:

“Ketron identified [those who asked him to sponsor the bill] as Frank Coyle, a Murfreesboro resident from a Kentucky family that has operated distilleries, and Heath Clark.”

Neither Frank Coyle nor Heath Clark contributed to a campaign in the last legislative cycle.

The RuCo Dems would also have you believe that this bill was sponsored and supported solely by Republicans; however, a closer look at the votes reveal something totally different. Let’s track the bill as it moved through subcommittee and eventually to the full floor.  Democrats voting ‘aye’ are in bold:

HB1720 by Carr – LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF S&LG:
Recommended for passage – refer to: State & Local Government Committee 3/18/2009
          Voice Vote – Ayes Prevail

Representative Larry Miller, a Democrat, is the Chairman of the Local Gov’t Subcommittee. Other Dems on the Committee are Ulysses Jones and Ben West, Jr. Had Chairman Miller wanted a vote recorded, he could have done so.

HB1720 by Carr – STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE:
Recommended for passage w/amendments- refer to: Finance, Ways & Means Committee 3/31/2009
          Voice Vote – Ayes Prevail Rep.(s) Evans requested to be recorded as voting No

Representative Joshua Evans, a Republican, was the only recorded no vote on this Committee; however, there a nine Democrats on the full Committee – and any one of them could have recorded a ‘nay’ vote. One Democrat member, Representative Harry Tindell, is actually the co-prime sponsor of HB 1720. Hardly a Republican bill…

HB1720 by Carr – BUDGET OF FW&M:
Recommended for passage – refer to: Finance, Ways & Means Committee 4/8/2009
          Voice Vote – Ayes Prevail Rep.(s) Roach requested to be recorded as voting No

Budget Sub is full of Democrats! The Chairman, Harry Tindell (the co-prime sponsor!), presides over a subcommittee comprised of 7 Democrats and 7 Republicans! The only Representative to record a ‘no’ vote was Republican Representative Dennis Roach. Odd…

HB1720 by Carr – FINANCE, WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE:
Recommended for passage – refer to: Calendar & Rules Committee 4/14/2009
          Voice Vote – Ayes Prevail Rep.(s) Maddox requested to be recorded as voting No

The bill then jumped to the full Committee, also Chaired by a Democrat – Craig Fitzhugh. Representative Maddox asked to be recorded as a ‘no’ vote – this is the first Democrat who has opposed this legislation and had their vote recorded. On the Committe, however, Democrat Fitzhugh presides over a total of 30 Members! The breakdown is: 15 Democrats and 15 Republicans. We see, again, co-prime sponsor Harry Tindell (a Democrat, remember?) on this Committee, as well. Also, the RuCo Dems forgot to mention that Representative Kent Coleman – a member of this Committee – is recorded as having voted in the affirmative, as his lack of a ‘nay’ suggests his support for the bill.

HB1720 by Carr – CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE:
Recommended for passage – refer to: House Regular Calendar (1) 4/21/2009
          Voice Vote – Ayes Prevail Rep.(s) DeBerry J requested to be recorded as voting No Rep.(s) Hill requested to be recorded as Present, Not Voting

In this Committee, Representative John DeBerry is the only Democrat who requested a ‘no’ vote be recorded. Of this 25 Member Committee, all Democrats except one recorded an ‘aye’ vote.

While the bill ultimately failed, the Floor vote (‘ayes’) looked like this:

Representatives voting aye were: Bell, Borchert, Brooks H, Brooks K, Carr, Casada, Cobb C, Cobb J, Coleman, Coley, Dean, Dennis, Eldridge, Evans, Faulkner, Floyd, Halford, Harrison, Harwell, Hawk, Haynes, Hensley, Hill, Johnson C, Johnson P, Kelsey, Lollar, Lundberg, Lynn, Matlock, McCord, McCormick, McDaniel, McManus, Montgomery, Mumpower, Niceley, Ramsey, Rich, Sargent, Shipley, Swafford, Tidwell, Tindell, Weaver, Mr. Speaker Williams — 46.

So, even as the bill crashed and burned on the House Floor, Representative Kent Coleman gave it a thumbs up…! It makes you wonder what else the RuCo Dems aren’t being honest about.