Cynicism, Money, Wine and no Conscience

This is a very long post about cynicism, money and a pure lack of conscience.

Below is a list of expenditures made by the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association made during the 2004 election cycle, sorted by size of the expenditure. This is the organization that represents the wholesalers whose most important mission over the past decade has been to prevent wine lovers from being able to buy wine direct from retailers or wineries.

There is no descrimination in who they give to. They give to Republicans and Democrats alike because the issue of direct shipping has nothing to do with ideology. It is 100%  about money. The WSWA is completely unconcerned about fairness, the Constitution, free trade or underage drinking. They are conerned about money. Everything is about making money. As whose expense this money is made is of no concern to them.

The WSWA is gearng up for a state by state fight to stop direct shipping after the U.S. Supreme Court Decision comes down. The list below  represents a down payment on their efforts.

Republican Governors Association, Washington, DC $15,000

Republican National Committee, Washington, DC $15,000

Republican National Committee, Washington, DC $15,000

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt $10,000

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt $7,500

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt $7,500

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt $7,500

National Republican Congressional Comm., Washingto $7,500

National Republican Congressional Comm., Washingto $7,500

National Republican Congressional Comm., Washingto $7,500

National Republican Congressional Comm., Washingto $7,500

National Republican Senatorial Comm., Washington, $7,500

National Republican Senatorial Comm., Washington, $7,500

National Republican Senatorial Comm., Washington, $7,500

National Republican Senatorial Comm., Washington, $7,500

American Success PAC, Washington, DC $5,000

ARMPAC, Washington, DC $5,000

Bill Thomas Campaign Committee, Bakersfield, CA $5,000

Billy Tauzin Committee, Alexandria, VA $5,000

Blue Dog PAC, Washington, DC $5,000

Bush-Cheney ’04, Inc., Arlington, VA $5,000

Campaign for America’s Future, Salt Lake City, UT $5,000

Chris John For U S Senate Exploratory Committee, C $5,000

Coburn For Senate Committee, Muskogee, OK $5,000

COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE CAPITALISM $5,000

Common Sense Leadership Fund, Washington, DC $5,000

David Vitter For U S Senate, Metairie, LA $5,000

David Vitter For U S Senate, Metairie, LA $5,000

Delahunt For Congress Comm., Quincy, MA $5,000

Delahunt For Congress Comm., Quincy, MA $5,000

Delahunt For Congress Comm., Quincy, MA $5,000

Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm., Washingto $5,000

Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm., Washingto $5,000

Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm., Washingto $5,000

Democratic Congressional Campaign Comm., Washingto $5,000

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washingt $5,000

Evan Bayh Committee, Indianapolis, IN $5,000

Georgians For Isakson, Atlanta, GA $5,000

Glacier PAC, Washington, DC $5,000

Grassley Committee, Des Moines, IA $5,000

HAWKEYE PAC, Des Moines, IA $5,000

Hawkeye PAC, Des Moines, IA $5,000

Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA $5,000

Mainstream American PAC, Falls Church, VA $5,000

Martinez For Senate, Orlando, FL $5,000

Montana/Nevada Victory Fund, Washington, DC $5,000

PAC TO THE FUTURE $5,000

Pete Coors For Senate, Littleton, CO $5,000

Pete Coors For Senate, Littleton, CO $5,000

Pryce For Congress, Columbus, OH $5,000

Pryce Project, Alexandria, VA $5,000

Pryce Project, Alexandria, VA $5,000

RELY ON YOUR BELIEFS FUND, Washington, DC $5,000

Richard Burr Committee, Winston-Salem, NC $5,000

Stenholm For Congress Committee, Stamford, TX $5,000

Superior California Leadership Fund, Sacramento, C $5,000

Texas Freedom Fund, Alexandria, VA $5,000

The Republican Majority Fund, Washington, DC $5,000

Together for Our Majority, Alexandria, VA $5,000

Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, Stafford, TX $5,000

TOMPAC, Arlington, VA $5,000

VOLPAC, Nashville, TN $5,000

VOLPAC, Nashville, TN $5,000

Whitfield For Congress Comm., Hopkinsville, KY $5,000

A Lot Of People Supporting Tom Daschle, Sioux Fall $4,000

A Lot Of People Supporting Tom Daschle, Sioux Fall $4,000

Bill Thomas Campaign Committee, Bakersfield, CA $4,000

Citizens For Bunning, Ft Wright, KY $4,000

Citizens For Bunning, Ft Wright, KY $4,000

Congressman Bill Young Campaign Committee, St. Pet $4,000

Evan Bayh Committee, Indianapolis, IN  $4,000

Freedom Project, Washington, DC $4,000

Friends Of Blanche Lincoln, Little Rock, AR $4,000

Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA $4,000

Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $4,000

Neugebauer Congressional Committee, Lubbock, TX $4,000

Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA  $4,000

Alexander for Senate, Nashville, TN $3,000

Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY $3,000

ARMPAC, Washington, DC $3,000

Burr For Congress Committee, Winston-Salem, NC $3,000

Chris John For Congress Comm. Inc, Crowley, LA $3,000

Committee To Reelect Ed Towns, Bklyn, NY  $3,000

Demint For Senate Committee Inc, Greenville, SC $3,000

Freedom Project, Washington, DC $3,000

Grassley Committee, Des Moines, IA $3,000

HALPAC (Help America’s Leaders PAC), Washington, D $3,000

Mary Bono Committee, Palm Springs, CA  $3,000

McCrery for Congress, Shreveport, LA $3,000

PAC to the Future, San Fransisco, CA $3,000

People For Patty Murray U S Senate Campaign, Seatt $3,000

Pete Sessions For Congress, Dallas, TX $3,000

RELY ON YOUR BELIEFS FUND, Washington, DC $3,000

Sensenbrenner Committee, Menomonee Falls, WI $3,000

The MikeR Fund, Arlington, VA $3,000

Tom DeLay Congressional Committee, Stafford, TX $3,000

13th Colony PAC, Savannah, GA  $2,500

Bob Matsui For Congress Comm., Sacramento, CA $2,500

CAMPAC, Midland, MI $2,500

Comm. To Elect William J Jefferson, New Orleans, L $2,500

Eric PAC, Richmond, VA $2,500

Eric PAC, Richmond, VA $2,500

Friends Of John Boehner, West Chester, OH $2,500

Friends Of Katherine Harris, Sarasota, FL $2,500

Friends Of Roy Blunt, Strafford, MO $2,500

Friends Of Roy Blunt, Strafford, MO $2,500

Friends Of Roy Blunt, Strafford, MO $2,500

Friends Of Roy Blunt, Strafford, MO $2,500

Friends Of Scott McInnis, Grand Junction, CO $2,500

Great Plains Leadership PAC, Washington, DC $2,500

J D Hayworth For Congress, Scottsdale, AZ $2,500

JAZZPAC, Washington, DC $2,500

KOMPAC, Washington, DC $2,500

KOMPAC, Washington, DC $2,500

KOMPAC, Washington, DC $2,500

Phil Crane Campaign Committee, Arlington, VA $2,500

Reform PAC, Washington, DC $2,500

Schultz Debbie Wasserman, Weston, FL $2,500

Victory In November Elections PAC, Washington, DC $2,500

Alexander for Senate, Nashville, TN $2,000

America’s Foundation, Washington, DC $2,000

ARMPAC, Washington, DC $2,000

Blue Dog PAC, Washington, DC $2,000

Boucher For Congress Committee, Abingdon, VA $2,000

Campbell Victory Fund, Ignacio, CO $2,000

Chandler For Congress, Versailles, KY $2,000

Chet Edwards For Congress, Waco, TX $2,000

Cleaver For Congress, Kansas City, MO $2,000

Common Sense Leadership Fund, Washington, DC $2,000

Demint For Senate Committee Inc, Greenville, SC $2,000

Freedom Project, Washington, DC $2,000

Friends For Baron Hill, Seymour, IN $2,000

Hall For Congress Committee (Ralph Hall – Rockwall $2,000

Honorable Tom DeLay, Stafford, TX $2,000

Hoosiers Supporting Buyer For Congress, Monticello $2,000

Judd Gregg Committee, Rye, NH $2,000

Ken Calvert For Congress, Riverside, CA $2,000

Kenny Marchant For Congress, Carrollton, TX $2,000

Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $2,000

National Leadership PAC, New York, NY $2,000

Pete Sessions For Congress, Dallas, TX $2,000

Phil Crane Campaign Committee, Arlington, VA $2,000

RELY ON YOUR BELIEFS FUND, Washington, DC $2,000

Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY $2,000

The MikeR Fund, Arlington, VA $2,000

Tom Reilly Committee, Watertown, MA $2,000

Whitfield For Congress Comm., Hopkinsville, KY $2,000

Wyden For Senate, Portland, OR $2,000

Cantor For Congress, Richmond, VA $1,500

Charles Boustany Jr For Congress, Lafayette, LA $1,500

Comm. To Elect William J Jefferson, New Orleans, L $1,500

Eric PAC, Richmond, VA $1,500

Friends Of Byron Dorgan, Bismarck, ND $1,500

Friends Of Mark Foley For Congress, Chantilly, VA $1,500

Leadership PAC, Alexandria, VA $1,500

Leadership PAC, Alexandria, VA $1,500

Tauzin For Congress, Thibodaux, LA $1,500

The Congressman Joe Barton Committee, Ennis, TX $1,500

Walden For Congress, Hood River, OR $1,500

A Lot Of People Supporting Tom Daschle, Sioux Fall $1,000

Alaskans For Don Young, Anchorage, AK $1,000

Alice Forgy Kerr For Congress, Lexington, KY $1,000

America Forward PAC, Fredericksburg, VA $1,000

America’s Majority Trust, Washington, DC $1,000

America’s Majority Trust, Washington, DC $1,000

Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY $1,000

Anne Northup For Congress, Louisville, KY $1,000

Bachus For Congress, Birmingham, AL $1,000

Bachus For Congress, Birmingham, AL $1,000

Bartlett For Congress Committee, Buckeystown, MD $1,000

Becerra For Congress, Los Angeles, CA $1,000

Becerra For Congress, Los Angeles, CA $1,000

Ben Cardin For Congress, Baltimore, MD $1,000

Bennett Election Committee Inc, Salt Lake City, UT $1,000

Berkley 2002, Las Vegas, NV $1,000

Berkley 2004, Las Vegas, NV $1,000

Berkley 2004, Las Vegas, NV $1,000

Bill Mccollum For Us Senate, Orlando, FL $1,000

Bill Shuster For Congress, Hollidaysburg, PA $1,000

Bill Thomas Campaign Committee, Bakersfield, CA $1,000

Blackburn for Congress, Franklin, TN $1,000

Blue Dog PAC, Washington, DC $1,000

Bob Ney For Congress, St Clairsville, OH $1,000

Boren, Dan (Boren for Congress) $1,000

Boren, Dan (Boren for Congress) $1,000

Boyd For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Boyd For Congress, Washington, DC  $1,000

Boyd For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Brady For Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000

Brady For Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000

Brown-Waite For Congress, Brooksville, FL $1,000

Burgess for Congress, HIGHLAND VILLAGE, TX $1,000

Burns For Congress, Sylvania, GA $1,000

Burns For Congress, Sylvania, GA $1,000

Burr For Congress Committee, Winston-Salem, NC $1,000

Burr Victory ’04, Raleigh, NC $1,000

Campbell Victory Fund, Ignacio, CO $1,000

Carter for Congress, Round Rock, TX $1,000

Cathy Mcmorris For Congress, Spokane, WA $1,000

Chandler For Congress, Versailles, KY $1,000

Charles Boustany Jr For Congress, Lafayette, LA $1,000

Charlie Dent For Congress, Allentown, PA $1,000

Chris Chocola For Congress Inc, South Bend, IN $1,000

Chris John For Congress Comm. Inc, Crowley, LA $1,000

Chris John For U S Senate Exploratory Committee, C $1,000

Citizens For Arlen Specter, Washington, DC $1,000

Citizens For Arlen Specter, Washington, DC $1,000

Citizens For Bunning, Ft Wright, KY $1,000

Coble For Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000

Coble For Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000

Comm. To Elect William J Jefferson, New Orleans, L $1,000

Comm. To Re-Elect Vito Fossella, Staten Island, NY $1,000

Comm. To Re-Elect Vito Fossella, Staten Island, NY $1,000

Comm. To Re-Elect Vito Fossella, Staten Island, NY $1,000

Committee For Loretta Sanchez, Los Angeles, CA $1,000

Committee To Elect Lincoln Davis, Jamestown, TN $1,000

Committee to Preserve Capitalism, Alexandria, VA $1,000

Committee To Reelect Ed Towns, Bklyn, NY $1,000

Conaway For Congress, Midland, TX $1,000

Congressman Bill Young Campaign Committee, St. Pet $1,000

Cooper for Congress, Nashville, TN $1,000

Crapo for U.S. Senate, Washington, DC $1,000

Crapo for U.S. Senate, Washington, DC $1,000

Crowley For Congress, Elmhurst, NY $1,000

DAKPAC, Washington, DC $1,000

Dan Burton For Congress Comm., Indianapolis, IN $1,000

Daniel K Inouye In 2004, Honolulu, HI $1,000

Daniel Webster PAC, Rye, NH $1,000

DASH-PAC, Washington, DC $1,000

Dave Camp For Congress, Midland, MI $1,000

Dave Camp For Congress, Midland, MI $1,000

David Scott for Congress, Atlanta, GA $1,000

Defend America PAC, Tuscaloosa, AL $1,000

Diedrich For Congress, Elkton, SD $1,000

Doyle For Congress Committee, Pittsburgh, PA $1,000

Earl Pomeroy For Congress, Bismarck, ND $1,000

Earl Pomeroy For Congress, Bismarck, ND $1,000

Earl Pomeroy For Congress, Bismarck, ND $1,000

Emerson 2002, Washington, DC $1,000

Engel For Congress, Bronxville, NY $1,000

Eric PAC, Richmond, VA $1,000

Evan Bayh Committee, Indianapolis, IN $1,000

Federalist PAC $1,000

Fitzpatrick for Congress, Doylestown, PA $1,000

Freedom Project, Washington, DC $1,000

Friends For Cliff Stearns, Ocala, FL $1,000

Friends For Harry Reid, Las Vegas, NV $1,000

Friends For Harry Reid, Las Vegas, NV $1,000

Friends For Harry Reid, Las Vegas, NV $1,000

Friends For Harry Reid, Las Vegas, NV $1,000

Friends Of Bud Cramer, Washington, DC $1,000

Friends Of Bud Cramer, Washington, DC $1,000

Friends Of Byron Dorgan, Bismarck, ND $1,000

Friends Of Byron Dorgan, Bismarck, ND $1,000

Friends Of Chris Dodd, West Hartford, CT $1,000

Friends Of Chris Dodd, West Hartford, CT $1,000

Friends Of Chris Dodd, West Hartford, CT $1,000

Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL $1,000

Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL $1,000

Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL $1,000

Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL $1,000

Friends Of Clay Shaw, Fort Lauderdale, FL $1,000

Friends Of Congressman Tim Holden, Saint Clair, PA $1,000

Friends Of Connie Mack, Fort Myers, FL $1,000

Friends Of Conrad Burns, Billings, MT $1,000

Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA $1,000

Friends Of Dave Reichert, Bellevue, WA $1,000

Friends Of Don Sherwood, Tunkhannock, PA $1,000

Friends Of Ernest Istook, Oklahoma City, OK $1,000

Friends Of Houghton, Corning, NY $1,000

Friends of Jack Kingston, Savannah, GA $1,000

Friends Of Jennifer B Dunn, Bellevue, WA $1,000

Friends Of Jennifer B Dunn, Bellevue, WA $1,000

Friends Of Jennifer B Dunn, Bellevue, WA  $1,000

Friends Of Jerry Kleczka, Milwaukee, WI $1,000

Friends Of Jim Inhofe Committee, Oklahoma City, OK $1,000

Friends Of Jim Saxton, Mount Holly, NJ $1,000

Friends Of Joe Pitts, Arlington, VA $1,000

Friends Of John Conyers, Alexandria, VA $1,000

Friends Of John Conyers, Alexandria, VA $1,000

Friends Of John Tanner, Union City, TN $1,000

Friends Of John Tanner, Union City, TN $1,000

Friends Of Mark Foley For Congress, Chantilly, VA $1,000

Friends Of Rahm Emanuel, Chicago, IL $1,000

Friends Of Sam Johnson, Plano, TX $1,000

Friends Of Senator Nickles, Ponca City, OK $1,000

Gene Green Congressional Campaign, Houston, TX $1,000

Hal Rogers For Congress, Somerset, KY $1,000

Hastert For Congress Committee, Yorkville, IL $1,000

Herseth For Congress, Brookings, SD $1,000

Herseth For Congress, Brookings, SD $1,000

Hobson For Congress Committee, Springfield, OH $1,000

Hobson For Congress Committee, Springfield, OH $1,000

Hoyer For Congress, Mechanicsville, MD $1,000

Hoyer For Congress, Mechanicsville, MD $1,000

Hulshof For Congress, Columbia, MO $1,000

Humphreys For Senate Inc, Oklahoma City, OK $1,000

J D Hayworth For Congress, Scottsdale, AZ $1,000

J D Hayworth For Congress, Scottsdale, AZ $1,000

J D Hayworth For Congress, Scottsdale, AZ $1,000

Jack Ryan For Us Senate, Chicago, IL $1,000

Jim Davis For Congress, Tampa, FL  $1,000

Jim Gerlach for Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000

Jim Gerlach for Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000

Jim Gerlach for Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000

Jim Gerlach for Congress, Arlington, VA $1,000

Jim Ramstad Volunteer Comm., Minnetonka, MN $1,000

John D Dingell For Congress Comm., Washington, DC $1,000

John D Dingell For Congress Comm., Washington, DC $1,000

John D Dingell For Congress Comm., Washington, DC $1,000

John Lewis For Congress, Atlanta, GA $1,000

Judd Gregg Committee, Rye, NH $1,000

Kay Granger Campaign Fund, Fort Worth, TX $1,000

Keller For Congress, Orlando, FL $1,000

Ken Calvert For Congress, Riverside, CA $1,000

Kind For Congress Committee, Lacrosse, WI $1,000

Kind For Congress Committee, Lacrosse, WI $1,000

Knollenberg For Congress Committee, Farmington Hil $1,000

Kuhl For Congress, Bath, NY $1,000

Latham For Congress, Alexander, IA $1,000

Latham For Congress, Alexander, IA $1,000

Leadership PAC, Alexandria, VA $1,000

Lewis For Congress Committee, Redlands, CA $1,000

Lincoln Diaz-Balart For Congress Committee, Coral $1,000

Lot Of People For Dave Obey, Wausau, WI $1,000

Lot Of People For Dave Obey, Wausau, WI $1,000

Lungren For Congress, Elk Grove, CA $1,000

Mac Collins For Congress, Jonesboro, GA $1,000

Mario Diaz-Balart For Congress, Miami, FL $1,000

Mario Diaz-Balart For Congress, Miami, FL $1,000

Marion Berry For Congress, Jonesboro, AR $1,000

Mark Kennedy for Congress, Blaine, MN $1,000

Markey Committee, The, Medford, MA $1,000

Martin Frost Campaign Committee, Washington, DC $1,000

Martin Frost Campaign Committee, Washington, DC $1,000

Martin Frost Campaign Committee, Washington, DC $1,000

Martin Frost Campaign Committee, Washington, DC $1,000

Martin Frost Campaign Committee, Washington, DC $1,000

Martinez For Senate, Orlando, FL $1,000

Mary Bono Committee, Palm Springs, CA $1,000

Max Sandlin For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Max Sandlin For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Max Sandlin For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Max Sandlin For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Mccaul For Congress Inc, Austin, TX $1,000

Mccotter Congressional Committee, Livonia, MI $1,000

Mchenry For Congress, Cherryville, NC $1,000

McNulty For Congress, Green Island, NY $1,000

Michaud For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Michaud For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Michaud For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Mike Ferguson For Congress, Red Bank, NJ $1,000

Mike Rogers For Congress, Anniston, AL $1,000

Mike Rogers For Congress, Anniston, AL $1,000

Mike Thompson For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Mike Thompson For Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $1,000

Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $1,000

Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $1,000

Missourians For Kit Bond, Mexico, MO $1,000

Moore For Congress, Lenexa, KS $1,000

Nancy Pelosi For Congress, San Francisco, CA $1,000

Naples for Congress, Buffalo, NY $1,000

National Leadership PAC, New York, NY $1,000 0

Neugebauer Congressional Committee, Lubbock, TX $1,000

New Republican Majority Fund, Alexandria, VA $1,000

Norwood For Congress, Augusta, GA $1,000

Norwood For Congress, Augusta, GA $1,000

Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA $1,000

Nunes for Congress, Pixley, CA $1,000

Nussle For Congress, Manchester, IA $1,000

Nussle For Congress, Manchester, IA $1,000

Nussle For Congress, Manchester, IA $1,000

Nussle For Congress, Manchester, IA $1,000

Otter For Idaho, Boise, ID $1,000

Oxley For Congress, Findlay, OH $1,000

Oxley For Congress, Findlay, OH $1,000

PAC to the Future, San Fransisco, CA $1,000

Pastor For Arizona, Phoenix, AZ $1,000

Pastor For Arizona, Phoenix, AZ $1,000

People For English, Erie, PA $1,000

People For English, Erie, PA $1,000

People With Hart Inc, Wexford, PA $1,000

Pete Stark Re-Election Comm., Fremont, CA $1,000

Phil Crane Campaign Committee, Arlington, VA $1,000

Phil Crane Campaign Committee, Arlington, VA $1,000

Porter For Congress, Las Vegas, NV $1,000

Porter For Congress, Las Vegas, NV $1,000

Price For Congress, Roswell, GA $1,000

Radanovich For Congress, fresno, CA $1,000

Re-Elect Harold Ford Jr, Memphis, TN $1,000

Re-Elect Nancy Johnson To Congress Com, New Britai $1,000

Re-Elect Nancy Johnson To Congress Com, New Britai $1,000

Regula For Congress Committee, Canton, OH $1,000

Renzi for Congress, Flagstaff, AZ $1,000

Renzi for Congress, Flagstaff, AZ $1,000

Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY $1,000

Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY  $1,000

Reynolds For Congress, Victor, NY $1,000

Richard E Neal For Congress Comm., Chevy Chase, MD $1,000

Richard E Neal For Congress Comm., Chevy Chase, MD $1,000

Richard E Neal For Congress Comm., Chevy Chase, MD $1,000

Robert Wexler For Congress Committee, Boca Raton, $1,000

Rogers For Congress, Brighton, MI $1,000

Rolle For Congress, Frederick, MD $1,000

Ron Lewis For Congress, Elizabethtown, KY $1,000

Ron Lewis For Congress, Elizabethtown, KY $1,000

Ros-Lehtinen For Congress, Miami, FL $1,000

Russ Carnahan For Congress Committee, St. Louis, M $1,000

Ryan For Congress, Janesvile, WI $1,000

Ryan For Congress, Janesvile, WI $1,000

Sam Brownback For U S Senate, Topeka, KS $1,000

Sam Brownback For U S Senate, Topeka, KS $1,000

Sam Brownback For U S Senate, Topeka, KS $1,000

Sam Brownback For U S Senate, Topeka, KS $1,000

Sam Brownback For U S Senate, Topeka, KS $1,000

SAMPAC $1,000

Schakowsky For Congress, Evanston, IL $1,000

Sensenbrenner Committee, Menomonee Falls, WI $1,000

Sensenbrenner Committee, Menomonee Falls, WI $1,000

Shelby For U S Senate, Tuscaloosa, AL $1,000

Simmons For Congress, Stonington, CT $1,000

Simpson For Congress, Blackfoot, ID $1,000

Spratt For Congress Committee, Annandale, VA $1,000

Stephanie Tubbs Jones For Us Congress, University $1,000

Sue Kelly For Congress, Scarsdale, NY $1,000

Sue Kelly For Congress, Scarsdale, NY $1,000

Sue Myrick For Congress, Charlotte, NC $1,000

Superior California Leadership Fund, Sacramento, C $1,000

Team Emerson, Cape Girardeau, MO $1,000

Texans For Henry Bonilla, San Antonio, TX $1,000

Texans For Henry Bonilla, San Antonio, TX $1,000

Texans For Henry Bonilla, San Antonio, TX $1,000

The Republican Majority Fund, Washington, DC $1,000

Thelma Drake for Congress, Virginia Beach, VA $1,000

Tiahrt For Congress, Wichita, KS  $1,000

Tom Feeney For Congress, Oviedo, FL $1,000

View PAC, Washington, DC $1,000

Virginia Foxx For Congress, Banner Elk, NC $1,000

Voinovich For Senate Committee, Columbus, OH $1,000

Voinovich For Senate Committee, Columbus, OH $1,000

Volunteers For Shimkus, Springfield, IL $1,000

Volunteers For Shimkus, Springfield, IL $1,000

Walcher For Congress Committee, Grand Junction, CO $1,000

Weller for Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Weller for Congress, Washington, DC $1,000

Westmoreland For Congress, Sharpsburg, GA $1,000

Whitfield For Congress Comm., Hopkinsville, KY $1,000

Whitfield For Congress Comm., Hopkinsville, KY  $1,000

Whitfield For Congress Comm., Hopkinsville, KY $1,000

WISHLIST, Washington, DC $1,000

Woolsey For Congress, Petaluma, CA $1,000

Woolsey For Congress, Petaluma, CA $1,000

Wachovia Bank, Washington, DC $552

Alaskans For Don Young, Anchorage, AK $500

Bill Shuster For Congress, Hollidaysburg, PA $500

Bill Shuster For Congress, Hollidaysburg, PA $500

Bill Shuster for Congress, Hollidaysburg, PA $500

Blackburn for Congress, Franklin, TN $500

Committee To Elect Lincoln Davis, Jamestown, TN $500

Friends Of Katherine Harris, Sarasota, FL $500

Mccaul For Congress Inc, Austin, TX $500

Michaud For Congress, Bangor, ME $500

Mike Pence Committee, Anderson, IN $500

Norm Coleman For U S Senate, Saint Paul, MN $500

Talent For Senate Exploratory Committee, St Louis, $500

Tom Davis For Congress, Dunn Loring, VA $500

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9 Responses

  1. Ryan Scott - May 3, 2005

    So they are trying to buy everyone off? Quite a job they have there. They are trying to stop people from buying wine directly from wineries, correct? They want to keep distributors and liquor stores making their cut too right? I understand why they are doing it, because at some point the internet could erode their business. I wouldn’t want to buy a wine online without having tried it first though. This is a tough one.

  2. tom - May 3, 2005

    Ryan,
    The wholesalers and the WSWA have spent a decade making outrageous claims and using every tool at their disposal to stop direct shipping for the simple reason it would hurt their business. They dress up their opposition by using “harm to children” as their motivating factor.

  3. George Wallace - May 3, 2005

    Thanks for doing the research, Tom, and for turning over the rock to show what crawls out. A fine demonstration of the one thing on which opposites like Nancy Pelosi and Tom Delay can agree: their desire to accumulate as many as possible of those mighty, mighty dollars. What a sorry, mercenary spectacle.
    Particularly sad to see how many Californians (starting with Ms. Pelosi) are seemingly happy to sell out the interests of their own state’s small and mid-size wine producers.

  4. Fred Vincy - May 3, 2005

    For what it’s worth, the list is bipartisan but tilted heavily to the right. The $7,500 and up category went heavily GOP ($105,000 vs. $32,500) and the lower down categories also seem heavily dominated by Republicans (though I haven’t done the math). Note also that many of the Dems. on the list are among the party’s most conservative, e.g., Blue Dog, Bayh, Chandler, Ford. There are a few liberals as well (Pelosi and Dodd and, some would argue, Daschle).

  5. chas - May 3, 2005

    For those like me that just feel compelled to total things up, the copy/paste into excel yields a total of $924,552. Amazing. Buying direct is the only thing that makes sense in today’s ecommerce world. Surely, despite the payoffs, common sense will win the day at some point.

  6. Comfort Eagle - May 4, 2005

    Coming from a winery’s business side, I have never held a meeting at a wholesaler where we discussed keeping our products from minors. We discussed sales volume and profitability. A little honesty from the WSWA would be nice.
    On the other side, I have seen the value a wholesaler can add to the marketplace by having knowledgable salespeople servicing far more accounts more economically than I could as a direct representative of a winery. That value added concept (among many others), properly executed, should be enough to keep them in business despite direct shipping.
    Finally, there is a darker element to block small wineries from the greater consumer base: the monolithic wine companies. Do you think for one second that any large winery that has a well-developed wholesale and retail account base wants to see their customer buying a wine direct? Hell no. So in fairness, start pointing a finger at any winery over 100,000 cases sold in the US because they are financially strapped to the wholesalers they sell to.

  7. tom - May 4, 2005

    Comfort,
    Two things. No question about it. Wholesalers are absolutely key to a good business plan. They do a great job of helping to market wine and get it in front of the right people. Direct Shipping will be a drop in the bucket in the near and mid term. As for the Big wineries, I recall when the direct shipping battle came to Indiana, Gallo actually came in on the side of the wholesalers. Point taken.

  8. Mike - May 4, 2005

    Tom
    Glad to see this post made onto WINE BUSINESS ONLINE today (http://www.winebusiness.com/). Well done!
    Mike

  9. Basic Juice - December 27, 2005

    Posts Of The Year: The Nominees (4-6)

    Continuing with the Top 5 Wine Blog Posts of ’05, I present Nominees 4-6 (see nominees 1-3 here). There is still time to nominate your top post…so just do it.Nominees 4-6 4. “Cynicism, Money, Wine and no Conscience” by Tom


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