A number of top officials in Oregon in charge of alcohol regulation may have drunk themselves under the table — and out the door.
An internal investigation found that at least six members of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC), including the agency’s former executive director, used their authority to divert rare and expensive bourbon whiskey for their personal use.
The officials allegedly used their connections to move the rare spirits to a specific store where they could be kept out of sight of the general public.
“After requesting the head of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission’s resignation, my administration became aware that leaders within this agency, including the director himself, abused their position for personal gain per their own admission in an internal investigation,” Oregon Governor Tina Kotek wrote in a letter to the commission. “This behavior is wholly unacceptable. I will not tolerate wrongful violations of our government ethics laws. I urge the commission to install new leadership and remove the managers and executive leadership who have taken advantage of their access and authority to benefit themselves.”
According to the investigation, OLCC Executive Director Steve Marks and at least five other commission officials used their knowledge and connections to obtain the expensive whiskey. According to Willamette Week, when manufacturers reserve rare bottles of their products for customers, the OLCC has the authority to decide where those bottles go. Some are distributed to retail stores, while others are given away through a lottery.
Marks told an investigator that he asked agency staff to divert some liquor to a specific store where he could buy it away from the public, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. Other bottles were also set aside by the agency for managers to purchase. Although the officials paid for the spirits, using their connections to obtain them may have violated Oregon laws prohibiting officials from using confidential information for personal gain.
Marks reportedly denied breaking Oregon laws, but he did admit to receiving preferential treatment “to some extent” because of his position. “I don’t know, a few times for my personal use,” he reportedly told investigators. “Pappy’s 23 is remembered in the last few years.” Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23 Year is an extremely rare and expensive bourbon. A Google search reveals that the whiskey costs $5000 a bottle or more. One bottle of the 2008 release sold at a December auction for $52,000.
During the investigation, other officials stated that the practice of reserving rare bottles was widespread and had been going on for years. According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, OLCC Director of Distilled Spirits Chris Mayton stated that he served as a “facilitator” for customers, employees, and even state lawmakers hundreds of times and considered it part of his job duties.
Nikki Leslie, an employee in charge of distribution, stated that the practice had been going on since she started her job eight years ago. She told investigators that she was frequently asked to direct the bottles to a specific store in Milwaukie, near the agency headquarters, and to notify employees when the spirits would arrive so they could purchase the bottles before the general public.
“This incident underlines the importance of having public accountability,” agency spokesman Mark Pettinger told the Associated Press. “The OLCC will need to work on rebuilding and restoring our public trust … and adhere to Oregon’s ethics laws.”
