WINE-POLITICS-MONEY
Here are your top 20 political givers in the alcohol industry during the 2004 election cycle, courtesy of Opensecrets.org.
That $2.4 million figure for the National beer Wholesalers Association is pretty impressive, isn’t it. This giant PAC buys a lot of influence. One of their main concerns is keeping excise taxes low on beer.
Note the amount spent by the Wine & Spirit Wholesalers Association versus the Wine Institute. The huge difference is reflective not only of strategies held by these tw0 organizations but also about concentration of wealth inside each of the industries represented by the two organizations. The membership of the Wine Institute, while including some pretty big players, is mainly made up of small, family owned wineries whose abiltiy to give to an industry pac is limitd. The wholesalers’ membership, on the other hand, is made up of a smaller group of very powerful companies led by Southern Wine and Spirits. And to be fair, the Wine & Spirit Wholesalers Association is concerned with more than just wine.
RANK OF TOP 20 WINE, BEER AND SPIRIT ORGANIZATION’S POLITICAL DONATIONS DURING THE 2004 ELECTION CYCLE.
|
Rank |
Organization |
Amount |
|
|
|
|
1 |
National Beer Wholesalers Assn |
$2,437,664 |
25% |
75% |
|
|
2 |
Anheuser-Busch |
$1,025,166 |
41% |
59% |
|
|
3 |
Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America |
$676,500 |
32% |
68% |
|
|
4 |
Brown-Forman Corp |
$409,894 |
33% |
66% |
|
|
5 |
Southern Wine & Spirits |
$277,929 |
50% |
50% |
|
|
6 |
Adolph Coors Co |
$247,775 |
17% |
83% |
|
|
7 |
E&J Gallo Winery |
$232,790 |
89% |
11% |
|
|
8 |
Silver Eagle Distributors |
$226,338 |
1% |
99% |
|
|
9 |
United Liquors |
$172,325 |
58% |
42% |
|
|
10 |
Reyes Holdings |
$165,000 |
8% |
92% |
|
|
11 |
Hubert Distributors |
$133,196 |
0% |
100% |
|
|
12 |
L&F Distributors |
$123,500 |
33% |
67% |
|
|
13 |
Constellation Brands |
$103,000 |
41% |
59% |
|
|
14 |
Georgia Crown Distributing |
$101,500 |
10% |
90% |
|
|
15 |
Wine Institute |
$96,466 |
51% |
49% |
|
|
16 |
Quintessa Winery |
$79,750 |
100% |
0% |
|
|
17 |
SABMiller |
$79,100 |
47% |
53% |
|
|
18 |
Magnolia Marketing |
$71,659 |
48% |
52% |
|
|
19 |
Distilled Spirits Council |
$64,999 |
39% |
61% |
|
|
20 |
Eagle Brands |
$61,750 |
57% |
30% |
Dems
Repubs
Indivs 
PACs
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