Dan Clodfelter Opposes New ABC Board Ethic Rules & Privatization

N.C. Senator Clodfelter: Guts New Ethic Rules For State ABC Stores


N.C. Lawmakers on Wednesday stripped out some of the toughest measures from a package of new laws governing the state's liquor store system.

"We gutted it," said Sen. Dan Clodfelter, a Charlotte Democrat who was critical of the changes.

He cast the lone "no" vote on the legislation approved by a special committee focused on the Alcoholic Beverage Control system.

The committee cut a requirement that members of local ABC boards must follow the state ethics law, even though a primary task assigned to the group was to craft a bill establishing consistent ethical standards across the state.

The committee was created in the aftermath of embarrassing revelations of the Mecklenburg ABC board's chair and some employees accepting a lavish dinner from a liquor company and six-figure salaries paid to the father and son team that ran the New Hanover County system.



Sen. Dan Blue, a Wake County Democrat, said the state ethics law provision would put local ABC boards on different footing from other local boards and commissions that are subject to local ethics policies.

"It doesn't make sense to have mixed messages and mixed standards," Blue said.

The committee also sliced out a measure that would empower the state ABC Commission to take steps to improve an unprofitable or minimally profitable liquor store.

"If you want to have any teeth in this law to fix problem stores, this language does it," said Rep. Edgar Starnes, a Hickory Republican.

The committee instead voted to put county commissions and city councils in charge of fixing the problems. Starnes said those groups are "too close to home," because they appoint the ABC boards.

Rep. Pryor Gibson, a Wadesboro Democrat, led several of the efforts to delete provisions from the bill, including a requirement that a community must have 5,000 registered voters before it could vote to create a local ABC board, which then can open a liquor store.

Gibson has repeatedly criticized such a restriction as discriminating against small towns.

The restriction grew out of criticisms, including in a report by legislative staffers, that the existing threshold of 500 registered voters to create an ABC board and subsequent store created unnecessary competition and inefficient stores.

More than 100 of the state's 169 ABC boards operate one store.

Brunswick County, for example, has nine ABC boards. Last year 10 ABC boards had a profit margin of 2 percent or less. Nine boards lost money.

State ABC Commission Chair Jon Williams said the bill still would provide "important new powers" for the commission.

The legislation approved Wednesday afternoon mirrors several provisions that Gov. Bev Perdue's budget reform commission recommended to her just an hour earlier, including:

Giving the state ABC Commission the authority to audit local boards.

Establishing a mission and performance standards for liquor stores.

Limiting the compensation of ABC board members and store operators.

The general manager and other top employees of a local ABC board could not be paid more than the local clerk of superior court.

That's currently $113,000 in both Mecklenburg and Wake counties.

Current ABC compensation would be grandfathered, but four Mecklenburg County ABC board employees' pay exceeds that limit:

The CEO ($159,000), Chief Financial Officer ($130,000), Director of Operations ($120,000) and Director of Human Resources ($115,000). Wake County's General Manager's compensation is $142,000.

The legislation was amended, though, to let the county commission or city council approve higher salaries if the ABC board requested them.




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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, WCNC, WRAL, Youtube, Google Maps

Park Helms Resigns From Charlotte ABC Board...NC Corruption

Park Helms Steps Down From Mecklenburg ABC Board


Charlotte-Mecklenburg ABC Board Chairman Parks Helms has resigned after fallout from a holiday dinner paid for by the liquor company Diageo.

Helms has been under fire since the Nov. 18 dinner.

Earlier this week, he rejected a request from fellow ABC directors to resign.

On Thursday, Helms sent a letter to Mecklenburg County Commission Chairwoman Jennifer Roberts, saying that he would step down. In Helms' resignation letter, he says he violated no policy, procedure or law.

The move comes one day after the North Carolina ABC Commission banned all gifts from the liquor industry to ABC staff. The ban is a result of a NewsChannel 36 I-Team investigation that found Helms and dozens of local ABC staff were treated to wine, drinks and dinner that cost more than $300 per person.

On Wednesday, the state's top liquor regulator lambasted Helms, highlighting him as an example of a "culture of entitlement" in the alcoholic beverage system.

Jonathan Williams, chair of the state ABC Commission, said that Helms told investigators from the state Alcohol Law Enforcement Division that he had expected the Mecklenburg board would pay for the lavish dinner in November. The event was bankrolled by a liquor company, and state alcohol agents have accused both the board and liquor company Diageo of breaking the law.

"In other words, Parks Helms' statement is that he assumed the citizens of Mecklenburg County would pay the bill," Williams said the state commission meeting Wednesday. "Every dollar that comes into the ABC system in this state is a dollar that belongs to the public. The public's money is not what is left over at the end. It is public the moment it is handed over the counter. There is no way the public should be expected to foot the bill for select employees and family members to have a party of seemingly unlimited price and extravagance."

Helms addressed the statements in his resignation letter, writing, "I take issue with his use of my name as a scapegoat for the troubled North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control system which those in power have condoned for generations. I was particularly troubled by Governor Perdue authorizing the Chairman to trample on my name and my reputation for political gain."

Helms and Mecklenburg ABC CEO Calvin McDougal and other staff members repaid more than $9,000 of the bill after the I-Team broke the story.



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Sources: WCNC, Google Maps

Park Helms Refuses To Resign, Will Jennifer Roberts Remove Him?

So Charlotte-Mecklenburg ABC Board Chairman Park Helms refuses to step down even after an investigation conducted by NC Alcohol Law Enforcement Officials proved he violated state Alcohol laws for basically "bribing" a liquor company.

Here lies the $64M question: Does Jennifer Roberts (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners Chairperson) have enough guts to remove him?

Don't forget Helms (also a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Commissioner) was once Roberts' Mentor.

Let's see....

Jennifer Roberts had NO problem refusing to allow Nick Mackey from serving as Charlotte-Mecklenburg's First Black Sheriff ever.

In fact she made a big stink about it all the way to the NC Democratic Board State Officials until they overturned Mackey's election.

Don't misjudge me on this one because after the local Media exposed all of Mackey's dirt including how he'd wronged his clients (Mackey is a Licensed Attorney), I too agree he should NOT have been allowed to serve as County Sheriff.

However my point is how quickly Roberts moved to act on ensuring Mackey would NOT serve.

Due to the Racial backlash Jennifer Roberts suffered over Mackey, it doesn't take rocket science to see that's why she refuses to remove allegedly Corrupt Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones who also happens to be Black, from his job.

Here's a little secret Jennifer, if you remove Harry Jones from his job it would be an Asset to Charlotte and would probably save your Political career.

Park Helms refuses to step down.

Jennifer Roberts has yet to remove both Harry Jones and Park Helms after proven evidence surfaced showing that both Men deserved to be relieved of their duties.

Has anyone forgotten that Charlotte-Mecklenburg DSS (which Jones oversees)is under investigation by a Grand Jury?

Of course not!

The Partisan Charlotte Observer (Community Nickname: "Charlotte Disturber") doesn't want to go there anymore for fear of perhaps losing Democrat advertising dollars.

Jennifer the ball is in your court.

Either way I think your finished because Charlotteans are tired of Corruption both Public and Political.








Park Helms Rejects Call To Resign From ABC Board


Mecklenburg County ABC Board chairman Parks Helms on Monday rejected a request from fellow ABC directors to resign "in the best interests of the Mecklenburg County ABC system."

"I have carefully considered your request that I resign as Chairman of the ABC Board so that you could '...begin to restore trust in the system and its management by the public,'" Helms wrote in an e-mail. 'I respectfully disagree... and will not resign."

But pressure for his resignation continued to rise Monday as Mecklenburg County commissioners chair Jennifer Roberts suggested he give it "serious consideration."

"I would hope that Parks would give it serious consideration to remove himself... so we can all focus on the issues going forward," she said.

A former Mecklenburg County commissioners chairman, Helms has been under fire since a Nov. 18 dinner hosted by the liquor company Diageo.

Diageo spent $12,700 on the dinner at Del Frisco's steakhouse for 28 ABC Board employees and their guests. The $4,900 bar tab included $1,000 for four bottles of Dom Perignon.

After news accounts, ABC employees and Helms repaid $9,334. The company picked up the bill for its two employees and their spouses as well as the $2,032 tip.

Last week Alcohol Law Enforcement agents issued a report alleging that Diageo, its N.C. marketing director and the Mecklenburg ABC Board violated laws on giving and accepting anything of value.

Based on their findings, the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission has since launched a statewide probe into possible violations of liquor laws in Asheville, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and at least four other cities.

The local ABC directors sent Helms a two-line e-mail Sunday night asking him to resign "effective immediately."

"I guess what we wanted was to basically start over," director Elton Shoemaker said Monday. "We just felt like a change should be made, and if the county commissioners wanted to appoint a new chair they could."

Shoemaker signed the request with directors Mary Richardson, Angeles Ortega-Moore and Jim Polk.

Helms declined to elaborate on his reply.

In the each of the past three years, records show, the board chairman was paid $6,000 a year. Board members earned $5,000.

Helms was the only Mecklenburg ABC director at the dinner. Richardson, Polk and Ortega-Moore told the Observer last week they didn't know about it. Shoemaker declined to comment.

Helms faces scrutiny over the dinner from the two groups that could remove him: the Mecklenburg County commissioners and the state ABC Commission.

Agnes Stevens, spokeswoman for the state ABC commission, said Monday the commission is in touch with Mecklenburg commissioners. Conversations, she said, are ongoing.

Roberts said the controversy has become a distraction.

"Sometimes we all recognize there comes a point when we as officials may be more of a distraction than a support to whatever issue it is we need to move forward with," she said.

"I respect Parks, he has been a tremendous public servant. We all make mistakes sometimes and it takes a big person to admit that. I'm sure there will be other things we can turn to him for service in other ways."

Republican commissioner Karen Bentley has said the county board should remove Helms.

Mary Richardson, the ABC Board director, hinted at the board's decision to write Helms last week.

"If you're doing wrong and you know you're doing wrong, you should suffer the consequences," she said.



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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, Charlotte Observer, WCNC, NC General Assembly, Charmeck.org, Google Maps

Bev Perdue, NC Officials Have Their Eyes On Charlotte's ABC Board

Tightening The Reins On North Carolina's ABC Boards



North Carolina's patchwork system for selling liquor grew out of the days after prohibition, when the powers that be worried about controlling who could buy liquor.

Today's state leaders, from Gov. Bev Perdue to top legislators, say that what's needed now is tighter control over who is selling booze.

Local Alcoholic Beverage Control boards, which run the liquor stores across North Carolina, find themselves under state officials' magnifying glass because of embarrassing episodes involving boards on opposite sides of the state: a lavish dinner for local ABC board members in Charlotte paid for by a liquor company and eye-popping salaries for top ABC administrators in Wilmington.

n the most immediate response, Perdue plans to ask the 163 local boards to agree to the ban on gifts and tighter ethics rules that she has imposed on state agencies under her control. She has also commissioned a special budget reform task force that is looking at more fundamental changes in the system and installed a new alcohol chief at the state level with directions to rein in the local boards.

The local boards that don't comply with the gift ban, she said, will get star billing on a state Web site that will list the boards and whether they have signed on to the new rules.

"We're going to know who has agreed to come along on transparency and accountability," Perdue said last week. "I'm going to go forward with the belief that every board will come along."

Joe Wall, executive director of the N.C. Association of ABC Boards, said he didn't expect many objections.

"In general, the boards are willing to accept a strengthening of the rules in that area," Wall said.

Perdue's efforts to provide more transparency and accountability follow the liquor company Diageo's bankrolling a $9,000 dinner in November for the Mecklenburg ABC board's chairman and a variety of employees and the disclosure of New Hanover County's ABC board parceling out more than $330,000 in salaries and $50,000 in bonuses to the father and son serving as top administrators.

"Something is not working in the system," said Perdue, herself a former member of the Craven County ABC Board. "And though many of us for years have believed in local control and local ABC boards, who would have thought this kind of stuff is going on?"

North Carolina has a conservative history with spirits. The state banned liquor even before national Prohibition and didn't allow public bars and restaurants to sell mixed drinks until the 1970s. Local communities, from the tiniest hamlets to urban hubs, decided for themselves whether and in what form to sell alcohol. It's a legacy that leaves a byzantine mix of liquor stores, rules and availability from one county to the next that frustrates newcomers to the state.

The state ABC Commission operates the warehouse through which local boards buy liquor and adjudicates liquor law violations, but it has little authority over the local stores. A 2008 legislative report described the system as lacking a clearly defined mission and needing more muscular state control.





Next steps

Perdue's pressure is only the latest steps in her administration's effort to reshape the commission.

Perdue plans to ask her state budget director, Charles Perusse, to examine salary data for the local boards that is being compiled by the state ABC Commission. Perusse will report on how those paychecks stack up against comparable private sector jobs.

ABC boards, which runliquor stores in North Carolina, are local government agencies, giving the state limited authority over them. The staff works for the local board, not the state. Perdue, however, said that if she needs to get directly involved to straighten up the system, she will.

"If I find out I need the authority to let people go," she said, "I will ask the General Assembly for that authority, and I have every reason to believe the people of the House and Senate will go along."

Change may be slow

Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, who said he is looking at a range of proposals that include privatization, highlighted problems such as counties with multiple ABC boards - Brunswick County has nine - and the low bar of 500 signatures to get a proposal on the ballot to create another ABC board. He said the system needs fundamental change.

"It's obvious that has to occur," Basnight said, referring to the Mecklenburg and New Hanover incidents. "We've seen and read about the mismanagement of certain districts."

Basnight and Rep. Pryor Gibson, an Anson County Democrat and vice chairman of the House ABC committee, cautioned that change will be made incrementally. Gibson said this year's "short" legislative session, which starts in May and likely ends during the summer, will allow little time to address such a complex issue.

"We will probably try," Gibson said, "but it's so complex. I'm not sure we can get a solution that's completely logical in a 45-day session."

Wall, at the North Carolina ABC boards association, said the Mecklenburg and New Hanover cases are aberrations. The association favors increasing the oversight by the county boards and city councils that appoint them but also stands by the state's record as one of the highest in liquor tax revenue but lowest in liquor consumption.

"That's a good indication," Wall said, "that the current system is sound and doing what the citizenry of the state wants it to do."

Perdue has been pushing for reforms of the ABC system for several months, though it has not been a top priority for an administration consumed by a constant budget crisis. She is using her Budget Reform and Accountability Commission as a vehicle for proposing broad changes, such as strengthening the state ABC Commission's ability to enforce minimum standards for stores and consolidating competing, unprofitable boards.

Norris Tolson, who heads the budget reform commission, would not predict recommendations but made clear that the commission sees problems that need fixing in the ABC system.

"It has been run with a sort of laissez faire attitude, just let it go. You get into the sort of problems that manifested themselves [recently]," said Tolson, president of the N.C. Biotechnology Center. "One has to ask oneself, why do you need that much bureaucracy to run a system of selling liquor?"

Perdue's other major step was to appoint Jon Williams, a former deputy secretary for the state Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, as the new chairman of the state ABC Commission.

"She made clear that she wanted some fresh eyes here in this office," Williams said, noting the last major ABC law changes were in the 1970s. "We've not had a thorough discussion of the system in 30 years."

He wasn't slow on the draw. After news reports that New Hanover's ABC board refused to release their managers' salaries, Williams asked all boards to supply salary data for their top staff, and he then released it to the public. After the Mecklenburg dinner paid for by international distiller Diageo, Williams asked the state Alcohol Law Enforcement Division to investigate. Both steps sent clear signals to other boards about accountability to the public.

"It's clear to everybody, including the boards, that Chairman Williams is going to enforce the rules, whatever the rules may be," Wall said. "The boards want clarity on what the rules are."



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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, Newsobserver, Charlotte Observer, WCNC, Google Maps

Jennifer Roberts Mulls Removing Park Helms (Don't Believe The Hype!)

Charlotte Mecklenburg County Commissioner Chairman Jennifer Roberts suddenly "gets it" and is now pondering whether or not to remove Corrupt, Partisan Park Helms (former Charlotte-Meck. County Commissioner) from his role of Mecklenburg ABC Board Chairman.

Of course this revelation comes on the heels of another Federal Investigation after word of illegal activity (Helms' violation of ABC Alcohol Laws) was made public.

Trust people this is ONLY a move to save Jennifer Roberts' Political career.

Since Helms was once Jennifer's Mentor as you can tell by her activity and decisions as Chairman (past & present), the apple doesn't usually fall far from the tree.

Jennifer Roberts remove Park Helms from his position as Mecklenburg ABC Board Chairman?

Yeah right!

I'll believe it when I see it.

Just remember folks if Charlotte Voters sent Norman Mitchell packing, they can certainly do the same for Jennifer Roberts.

Next time you visit the Polls (in 2012) forget about that foolish, Partisan Straight Ticket Voting mess and vote Responsibly!






NC State Officials Looks At Wining, Dining Of ABC Execs


The state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission has widened a probe into possible violations of liquor laws across North Carolina in the wake of a company's lavish holiday dinner for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County ABC Board.

The liquor company Diageo spent $12,700 on the Nov. 18 dinner for 28 ABC Board employees and their guests at Del Frisco's, a high-end steakhouse. The bar tab alone came to more than $4,900, including $1,000 for four bottles of Dom Perignon.

Andy Iredale, Diageo's marketing director for North Carolina, told investigators he had bought meals for ABC employees in many cities and counties.

In a report released this week, state Alcohol Law Enforcement agents charged the Mecklenburg board with accepting illegal gifts. It charged Diageo and Iredale with providing the gifts and unlawfully entering an ABC store for reasons other than conducting business.

Michael Herring, chief administrator for the state ABC Commission, said these are the most serious accusations leveled in years.

Herring said his agency has sent Diageo and Iredale violation notices stemming from the Charlotte dinner. They face a fine of $140,000 or a year's suspension of theirliquor permit. They couldappeal.

After news accounts of the dinner, Mecklenburg ABC employees and board chairman Parks Helms repaid $9,334. The company picked up the bill for its two employees and their spouses, as well as the entire $2,032 tip.

The state ABC Commission's chairman, Jon Williams, ordered the investigation in November. The state commission, which adjudicates allegations of liquor law violations, did not issue any comment beyond the agents' report.

Attempts to reach a Diageo spokesman were unsuccessful. The London-based company's brands include Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray, Guinness and Crown Royal.

Iredale told Alcohol Law Enforcement agents he'd also bought meals for local board employees in Asheville, Lenoir, Greensboro and Winston-Salem, and in Carteret, New Hanover and Onslow counties.

Iredale said he offered to treat Craig Pleasants, general manager of Wake County's ABC Board, to meals, but Pleasants refused.

Pleasants confirmed that Thursday night. "He just said, 'I'd like to take you out for a meal,' and I said, 'I don't think that's a good idea right now,'" Pleasants said.

Pleasants said that for the past several months, he has been turning down offers of meals - two in the past two days. Typically, someone offers a free meal every couple of weeks, he said, though these are hardly invites to lavish blowouts. "Mostly what we're talking about is a meat and two vegetables somewhere, and it's really talking business," he said.

Pleasants said such meals are allowed under state ABC guidelines.

The N.C. ABC Commission this week gave Iredale 10 days to provide receipts for other dinners provided to ABC employees. Among those are receipts from a Nov. 17 lunch at Charlotte's Ritz-Carlton hosted by Jim Beam Brands for Helms, the Mecklenburg board chairman, and ABC Board CEO Calvin McDougal.

Neither Helms nor McDougal could be reached Thursday.

North Carolina maintains a state ABC Commission that operates a central liquor warehouse, the sole source of products for the stores. The state commission, though, can intervene at a store only when there is a major problem, such as corruption. The local ABC boards that run the stores are appointed public panels with their own bureaucracies.

Critics are using the controversy to renew calls for the state to get out of the liquor business.

Controversies prompted the commission to issue ethics guidelines in 1996 and 2003.






Charlotte-Meck. ABC Board Caught In Another Lie



The distiller that the Mecklenburg County ABC Board got a $9000 dinner from and the board then claimed it had “no business relation with Diageo other than selling its products in ABC stores in Mecklenburg County.” Yeah, not so much.

WCNC reports that the board only routinely writes six-figure checks to Diageo each month. During 2009 the board has had $11m. worth of business relations with Diageo.

Still, this has not pushed the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Commissioners to remove the board and its chair Parks Helms and start over. Instead the Republicans on the board remain narrowly focused on whether board violated any ethics law by accepting the $9000 gift. This is staggeringly beside the point. Helms and fellow board members are presumed to be held to a higher standard than petty thieves.

They are in a position of trust, given immense power with little direct, day-to-day public oversight. If we can’t trust them to do the right thing, then we need to find people we can trust.







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Sources: WRAL, McClatchy Newspapers, Newsobserver, Charlotte Observer, Charmeck.org, The Meck Deck Blog, John Locke Foundation, WCNC, Google Maps

NC Officials Widen Probe Into Serious State Alcohol Law Violations

NC residents don't believe the hype!

Before you proceed with viewing the contents of this blog post (from NC newspapers), please beware that NC Officials will more than likely do absolutely NOTHING about ABC Board Violations.

In fact the only reason why local NC newspapers publishers have begun printing these type of articles lately is because they realize nationwide Democrats are in trouble politically.

Which is why each time I read a newspaper article about NC Officials proclaiming to "investigate" Public and Political Corruption running rampant in this state, I just throw some salt over my shoulder.

This Corruption stuff has been going on for years because North Carolina is one of the most crooked states in America!

If you or I were committing such CRIMES we'd be thrown in jail tomorrow but NC Politicians can commit crimes, walk away free and still remain in office.

Let's not also forget NC is run by Democrats who in this instance seem to be concerned only about keeping their Political seats warm by any means necessary.

Some of these NC Politicians will probably even kill to keep their seats.

Yes I too am a registered Democrat however....

Although I'm not perfect, I can still say without blinking that NC Politicians (Dems) are extremely Notorious for Public Corruption in the worst way.

Historically Federal Officials are the only ones who have actually done anything to help fight real crime and corruption in North Carolina i.e., FBI.

Therefore I suggest if you are aware of any serious crimes being committed related to Fraud, Embezzlement, Illegal Wiretapping, Alcohol law violations, etc., instead of contacting NC Officials who will just retaliate against you, instead contact Federal Officials or Federal Agencies to report your concerns.








NC State Officials Looks At Wining, Dining Of ABC Execs


The state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission has widened a probe into possible violations of liquor laws across North Carolina in the wake of a company's lavish holiday dinner for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County ABC Board.

The liquor company Diageo spent $12,700 on the Nov. 18 dinner for 28 ABC Board employees and their guests at Del Frisco's, a high-end steakhouse. The bar tab alone came to more than $4,900, including $1,000 for four bottles of Dom Perignon.

Andy Iredale, Diageo's marketing director for North Carolina, told investigators he had bought meals for ABC employees in many cities and counties.

In a report released this week, state Alcohol Law Enforcement agents charged the Mecklenburg board with accepting illegal gifts. It charged Diageo and Iredale with providing the gifts and unlawfully entering an ABC store for reasons other than conducting business.

Michael Herring, chief administrator for the state ABC Commission, said these are the most serious accusations leveled in years.

Herring said his agency has sent Diageo and Iredale violation notices stemming from the Charlotte dinner. They face a fine of $140,000 or a year's suspension of theirliquor permit. They couldappeal.

After news accounts of the dinner, Mecklenburg ABC employees and board chairman Parks Helms repaid $9,334. The company picked up the bill for its two employees and their spouses, as well as the entire $2,032 tip.

The state ABC Commission's chairman, Jon Williams, ordered the investigation in November. The state commission, which adjudicates allegations of liquor law violations, did not issue any comment beyond the agents' report.

Attempts to reach a Diageo spokesman were unsuccessful. The London-based company's brands include Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray, Guinness and Crown Royal.

Iredale told Alcohol Law Enforcement agents he'd also bought meals for local board employees in Asheville, Lenoir, Greensboro and Winston-Salem, and in Carteret, New Hanover and Onslow counties.

Iredale said he offered to treat Craig Pleasants, general manager of Wake County's ABC Board, to meals, but Pleasants refused.

Pleasants confirmed that Thursday night. "He just said, 'I'd like to take you out for a meal,' and I said, 'I don't think that's a good idea right now,'" Pleasants said.

Pleasants said that for the past several months, he has been turning down offers of meals - two in the past two days. Typically, someone offers a free meal every couple of weeks, he said, though these are hardly invites to lavish blowouts. "Mostly what we're talking about is a meat and two vegetables somewhere, and it's really talking business," he said.

Pleasants said such meals are allowed under state ABC guidelines.

The N.C. ABC Commission this week gave Iredale 10 days to provide receipts for other dinners provided to ABC employees. Among those are receipts from a Nov. 17 lunch at Charlotte's Ritz-Carlton hosted by Jim Beam Brands for Helms, the Mecklenburg board chairman, and ABC Board CEO Calvin McDougal.

Neither Helms nor McDougal could be reached Thursday.

North Carolina maintains a state ABC Commission that operates a central liquor warehouse, the sole source of products for the stores. The state commission, though, can intervene at a store only when there is a major problem, such as corruption. The local ABC boards that run the stores are appointed public panels with their own bureaucracies.

Critics are using the controversy to renew calls for the state to get out of the liquor business.

Controversies prompted the commission to issue ethics guidelines in 1996 and 2003.








Charlotte-Meck. ABC Board Caught In Another Lie



The distiller that the Mecklenburg County ABC Board got a $9000 dinner from and the board then claimed it had “no business relation with Diageo other than selling its products in ABC stores in Mecklenburg County.” Yeah, not so much.

WCNC reports that the board only routinely writes six-figure checks to Diageo each month. During 2009 the board has had $11m. worth of business relations with Diageo.

Still, this has not pushed the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Commissioners to remove the board and its chair Parks Helms and start over. Instead the Republicans on the board remain narrowly focused on whether board violated any ethics law by accepting the $9000 gift. This is staggeringly beside the point. Helms and fellow board members are presumed to be held to a higher standard than petty thieves.

They are in a position of trust, given immense power with little direct, day-to-day public oversight. If we can’t trust them to do the right thing, then we need to find people we can trust.





ABC Officials Repay Pricey Holiday Dinner


The Chairman of the Mecklenburg County Alcoholic Beverage Control Board and top staff members have paid back $9,000 to an international liquor company that treated the local officials to a holiday dinner last month.

The payback comes as state officials are conducting an investigation into the dinner at Del Frisco's steakhouse in Charlotte, where a hostess said the cheapest steak is $32.95. State ABC Commission officials said last month that they have the authority to remove local board members and employees who violate state laws against accepting gifts.

“We shouldn't have done it,” ABC board Chair Parks Helms told the Observer Monday. “We made a mistake.”

He said that the dinner for 28 people may have appeared improper and that the board will revise its policies to ensure that guidelines about accepting gifts are clear in the future. The Observer's news partner, WCNC-TV, first broke the story in November.

State ABC Commission Chair Jonathan Williams, who ordered an investigation by the state Alcohol Law Enforcement Division, commended the board.

“I am pleased to learn the Mecklenburg ABC is taking steps to ensure that this situation is not repeated in the future,” Williams said in a prepared statement, “and also has taken action to address some of the specific questions surrounding the propriety of receiving a gift of this nature.”

He said the investigation is ongoing and that he couldn't comment further.

The state ABC commission runs the central warehouse through which local stores buy their liquor and handles liquor law violation cases but has rarely exerted authority over liquor stores. Those are run by the local boards that are appointed by county commissions and city councils.

Helms, who attended the dinner with his wife Eleanor, is paying $1,000. He was the only board member in attendance. Among the staff, CEO Calvin McDougal, who was accompanied by his wife Portia at the dinner, is paying $4,000. Both men are covering the tab for staffers for whom repayment would be a financial hardship. Other staff must pay $330 each.

A statement issued by the Mecklenburg board suggested that London-based Diageo, which makes brands such as Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker Scotch, wouldn't gain much by picking up the bill: “The Mecklenburg County ABC system has no business relation[sic] with Diageo other than selling its products in ABC stores in Mecklenburg County.”

The state ABC warehouse essentially serves as storage for the local stores' liquor and sets prices. The distillers still own the liquor until the stores buy it. The local stores determine what is ordered for the warehouse and then pay for it.

Helms said a steady stream of government scandal stories had caused an overreaction to news of the dinner.

“In the business world, you have meetings and dinners with the people whose products you sell,” he said. The Mecklenburg board's statement also said that, in the past, the state commission exempted unsolicited meals from state laws prohibiting distillers from giving gifts to retailers.

In a recent interview with WCNC-TV, Williams said: “In the sales and commercial world, wining and dining is part of how business is done,” he said, “but we're public servants.”

Local board members from Mecklenburg and other jurisdictions have been criticized in the past for annual conferences where liquor companies and others who do business with the state provided drinks, subsidized golf and other freebies. Organizers dropped the golf game from the schedule in 2007 after an Observer story about one of the conferences.



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Sources: WRAL, McClatchy Newspapers, Newsobserver, Charlotte Observer, Charmeck.org, The Meck Deck Blog, John Locke Foundation, WCNC, Google Maps

Park Helms Breaks NC's Alcohol Laws! Where's Jennifer Roberts?

NC State Law Enforcement Agents Says Charlotte- Mecklenburg ABC Board Violated Rules


NC State Alcohol Law Enforcement agents said the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County ABC Board and the liquor company Diageo broke state alcohol laws during a November dinner for the board at which Diageo paid the $9,000 tab.

The agents' report also details several other dinners and lunches for Mecklenburg board members or employees that were paid for by liquor companies. Board Chair Parks Helms and CEO Calvin McDougal went to lunch at the Ritz Carlton the day before the Nov. 18 dinner at Del Frisco's steakhouse.

The agents charged the board with accepting illegal gifts and charged Diageo and one of its representatives with providing the gifts and unlawfully entering an ABC store for reasons other than conducting business.

The state ABC Commission's chair, Jon Williams, ordered the investigation in November, and the commission adjudicates allegations of liquor law violations. The state commission did not issue any additional comment beyond the agents' report.

Helms and McDougal and other employees attending the dinner, originally reported by Observer news partner WCNC, have since repaid Diageo. There were 28 employees and spouses at the dinner at Del Frisco's steakhouse.

Helms and McDougal have both said that the state commission has previously left it up to local boards to decide whether to accept gifts from distillers. A 1996 memo from the state commission offers unclear guidance, highlighting state law banning gifts but then saying that local boards can decide whether to accept them.

The Mecklenburg board did more than $11 million worth of business with Diageo last year.

Diageo's representative who organized the dinner said he has previously offered to treat Craig Pleasants, general manager of Wake County's ABC Board, to meals but has been refused.





Fire Parks, County ABC CEO Now!


OK folks.

Here’s your smoking gun. State liquor board investigators say that the Mecklenburg County ABC Board violated state law by accepting a $9000 steak dinner from a distiller the board did $11m. worth of business with last year. Plus investigators also uncovered other liquor-seller free lunches, including a Ritz-Carlton feast featuring good ol’ Parks Helms and county ABC CEO Calvin McDougal the day before the $9K dinner.

In all these weeks of chatter about the big Del Frisco’s dinner Parks and McDougal never saw fit to mention that Ritz-Carlton swag. Imagine that. Wonder what other freebies are out there that we don’t know about.

As we’ve said before, it is down to trust. I want to hear Jennifer Roberts stand up and say she trusts the current ABC leadership to do the right thing. If she can’t or won’t do that, then Roberts needs to get a vote out of the county commission to remove Parks and McDougal. Now.



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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, Newsobserver, The Meck Deck Blog, John Locke Foundation, Google Maps

Jennifer Roberts Supports Park Helms' $9,000. ABC Deal Dinner...NC Corruption

Criticism Grows Over Park Helms-ABC Board $9,000. Dinner



Mecklenburg ABC Board Chairman Parks Helms insisted Wednesday that the agency did not mislead the public about its relationship with an international liquor company that treated officials to a $9,000 holiday dinner.

The board paid more than $11 million to Diageo Americas from January to November, according to documents obtained by WCNC, the Observer's news partner.

Agency officials previously released a statement saying it "has no business relation with Diageo other than selling its products in ABC stores in Mecklenburg County."

The disclosure comes as the state Alcohol Law Enforcement Division is investigating the Nov. 18 dinner for 28 people paid for by London-based Diageo, which makes brands such as Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker Scotch. State ABC Commission officials have authority to remove local board members and employees who violate state laws against accepting gifts.

Last week, Helms announced that he and other top staff paid back the cost of the meal at Del Frisco's steakhouse in south Charlotte.

In his first public remarks since the disclosure about payments to Diageo, Helms defended himself and accused political rivals of spreading falsehoods.

Helms said there is no link between the holiday party and payments to the company. The board pays $47 million a year to Diageo and dozens of other vendors for the purchase of their products, he said.

"It's disappointing to me we are going down the road of making innuendo accusations," Helms said.

But Helms' assurances failed to quell criticism from some county commissioners, who appoint members of the local Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.

The agency's statement did not explain that it not only sells liquor, but also makes direct payments to Diageo.

Commissioner Karen Bentley said that Helms should resign.

The board's previous statements about its relationship with Diageo "was at minimum, misleading," Bentley said. "At maximum, it was completely false."

County Commission Chair Jennifer Roberts also said the ABC Board's previous statement was "misleading."

Distillers lobby the state ABC commission to keep their products in its central warehouse through which local stores buy their liquor.

ABC stores are run by local boards across the state. Distillers also try to persuade local panels to stock their brands in the stores.

Local boards place orders from the central warehouse and after the alcohol arrives, the board has 30 days to make payments to liquor companies.

Records show the Mecklenburg ABC Board wrote 22 checks to Diageo from January to November. The board is Diageo's biggest customer in North Carolina.

Helms said Mecklenburg officials decide which brands to carry in their 21 stores based on sales.

A 1996 memo from the state ABC Commission prohibits manufacturers or vendors from giving local ABC boards money "or any other thing of value."

The Mecklenburg ABC Board has previously said that "unsolicited meals is an accepted business practice" and excluded from the law barring gifts.

Helms, who attended with his wife, was the only board member at the dinner. He has said he is repaying $1,000. Board CEO Calvin McDougal, who went with his wife, is repaying $4,000. They agreed to cover the tab for ABC employees for whom repayment would be a hardship. Others must pay $330 each.

On Wednesday, Helms said he did not know who was hosting the dinner before he arrived. He said that the ABC Board has dealings with 60 to 70 vendors whose brands are sold in Mecklenburg County stores.

But commissioner Bentley said Helms "should know better."

"If he didn't violate the policy, he violated the spirit of it," Bentley said.

Roberts, the commission chair, said she did not know if the board would take action against Helms. However, she noted, that he has repaid the company for the dinner.

"They have made things right," Roberts said. "The dinner was mistake and it is not going to happen again."




Charlotte-Meck. ABC Board Caught In Another Lie



The distiller that the Mecklenburg County ABC Board got a $9000 dinner from and the board then claimed it had “no business relation with Diageo other than selling its products in ABC stores in Mecklenburg County.” Yeah, not so much.

WCNC reports that the board only routinely writes six-figure checks to Diageo each month. During 2009 the board has had $11m. worth of business relations with Diageo.

Still, this has not pushed the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Commissioners to remove the board and its chair Parks Helms and start over. Instead the Republicans on the board remain narrowly focused on whether board violated any ethics law by accepting the $9000 gift. This is staggeringly beside the point. Helms and fellow board members are presumed to be held to a higher standard than petty thieves. They are in a position of trust, given immense power with little direct, day-to-day public oversight. If we can’t trust them to do the right thing, then we need to find people we can trust.





ABC Officials Repay Pricey Holiday Dinner


The Chairman of the Mecklenburg County Alcoholic Beverage Control Board and top staff members have paid back $9,000 to an international liquor company that treated the local officials to a holiday dinner last month.

The payback comes as state officials are conducting an investigation into the dinner at Del Frisco's steakhouse in Charlotte, where a hostess said the cheapest steak is $32.95. State ABC Commission officials said last month that they have the authority to remove local board members and employees who violate state laws against accepting gifts.

“We shouldn't have done it,” ABC board Chair Parks Helms told the Observer Monday. “We made a mistake.”

He said that the dinner for 28 people may have appeared improper and that the board will revise its policies to ensure that guidelines about accepting gifts are clear in the future. The Observer's news partner, WCNC-TV, first broke the story in November.

State ABC Commission Chair Jonathan Williams, who ordered an investigation by the state Alcohol Law Enforcement Division, commended the board.

“I am pleased to learn the Mecklenburg ABC is taking steps to ensure that this situation is not repeated in the future,” Williams said in a prepared statement, “and also has taken action to address some of the specific questions surrounding the propriety of receiving a gift of this nature.”

He said the investigation is ongoing and that he couldn't comment further.

The state ABC commission runs the central warehouse through which local stores buy their liquor and handles liquor law violation cases but has rarely exerted authority over liquor stores. Those are run by the local boards that are appointed by county commissions and city councils.

Helms, who attended the dinner with his wife Eleanor, is paying $1,000. He was the only board member in attendance. Among the staff, CEO Calvin McDougal, who was accompanied by his wife Portia at the dinner, is paying $4,000. Both men are covering the tab for staffers for whom repayment would be a financial hardship. Other staff must pay $330 each.

A statement issued by the Mecklenburg board suggested that London-based Diageo, which makes brands such as Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker Scotch, wouldn't gain much by picking up the bill: “The Mecklenburg County ABC system has no business relation[sic] with Diageo other than selling its products in ABC stores in Mecklenburg County.”

The state ABC warehouse essentially serves as storage for the local stores' liquor and sets prices. The distillers still own the liquor until the stores buy it. The local stores determine what is ordered for the warehouse and then pay for it.

Helms said a steady stream of government scandal stories had caused an overreaction to news of the dinner.

“In the business world, you have meetings and dinners with the people whose products you sell,” he said. The Mecklenburg board's statement also said that, in the past, the state commission exempted unsolicited meals from state laws prohibiting distillers from giving gifts to retailers.

In a recent interview with WCNC-TV, Williams said: “In the sales and commercial world, wining and dining is part of how business is done,” he said, “but we're public servants.”

Local board members from Mecklenburg and other jurisdictions have been criticized in the past for annual conferences where liquor companies and others who do business with the state provided drinks, subsidized golf and other freebies. Organizers dropped the golf game from the schedule in 2007 after an Observer story about one of the conferences.



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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, Charlotte Observer, Charmeck.org, The Meck Deck Blog, John Locke Foundation, WCNC, Google Maps