On Sept. 7, the California Beer & Beverage Distributors gave $10,000 to a committee opposing Proposition 19, the measure that would change state law to legalize pot and allow it to be taxed and regulated.

The California Police Chiefs Association has given the most to the Proposition 19 opposition with a contribution of $30,000, according to Cal-Access, a website operated by the secretary of state’s office.

Rhonda Stevenson, the California Beer & Beverage Distributors political action committee’s coordinator, was out of the office on Wednesday.

Nobody else from the group was available to comment.

“Unless the beer distributors in California have suddenly developed a philosophical opposition to the use of intoxicating substances, the motivation behind this contribution is clear,” Steve Fox, director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project, said in statement. “Plain and simple, the alcohol industry is trying to kill the competition. Their mission is to drive people to drink.”

North state beer and beverage distributors reached for comment on Wednesday were not aware of the $10,000 contribution made by their trade group. Nor did they have an opinion on Proposition 19 or how its passage would affect the liquor industry.

“We pay a small yearly membership, so we are a member; but we don’t really have a say or input on anything like that,” Mt. Shasta Bottling & Distributing General Manger Emerson Bryan said.

David Jensen, president of Redding Distributing Co., said his business had not been solicited for funds by the California Beer & Beverage Distributors to help fight Proposition 19.

“That might have come out of their PAC (political action committee),” Jensen said of the $10,000 contribution.

Area liquor stores reached Wednesday also said they had not heard about the beverage group’s effort to defeat Proposition 19.

By David Benda

Photo by flickr user sashafatcat