Rep. Quigley Got Campaign Cash From Liquor Wholesalers Three Days Before Co-Sponsoring Their Monopoly Protection Bill.

As Dan Eggen reported in yesterday's Washington Post, Chicago-area representative Mike Quigley took a $2,500 campaign contribution from the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) three days before his support of their Alcohol Wholesalers Monopoly Protection Act (HR 5034) was announced.

I took Rep. Quigley to task for supporting this ridiculous legislation more than a month ago here. He has not yet replied to my letter.

Quigley isn't alone. The NBWA handed out more than $300,000 in contributions this year and virtually everyone who got some is a co-sponsor of the bill. Michigan Representative John Conyers, who chairs the committee considering HR 5034, got the biggest payday: $45,000. Everyone, of course, says the timing is a coincidence.

Timing isn't even the point. It just makes it easier to put the picture into focus.

I've also posted about this legislation here, here, and here.