Gibbons and donations from the Liquor Industry

Even more questions about those who have donated to Gibbons. Once again, its former City Council candidate and current District Chairman Matt Tolman questioning his donations from the liquor industry. Here is what came across my email:

District 18 Republican Senate Challenger Takes Liquor Donations
District 18 Chairman Matt Tolman to Kevin Gibbons:
Give Back Liquor Money like You Gave Back the Democratic Chairman's Money

MESA – District 18 Senate Republican Candidate Kevin Gibbons is in hot water again. Less than a week after it was revealed that he took donations from former Democratic Party Chairman Jim Pederson, it has been announced that his campaign has received donations from prominent members of the liquor industry.

District 18 Republican Chairman Matt Tolman questioned whether Gibbons' quest to raise big dollars has put his values at odds with those who he intends to represent. "It looks like Gibbons is willing to take money from just about anyone who will write a check," said District 18 Republican Chairman Matt Tolman, "We need someone who represents the citizens of the district, not special interests."

In all, Gibbons has already received $1,950 in donations from prominent members of Arizona's liquor industry. Donors Include:

• BEER & WINE DISTRIBUTORS OF ARIZONA PAC
• Bob Delgado, President, HENSLEY & COMPANY
• Joseph Cotroneo, GM, CRESCENT CROWN DISTRIBUTORS
• Douglas Yonko, Principal, HENSLEY & COMPANY
• Steven Barclay, Executive Director, BEER & WINE DISTRIBUTORS OF ARIZONA

"We need a champion who will continue to fight for liquor control issues," explained Tolman, "Someone who is committed to preventing underage drinking and supporting DUI laws. We need to know that the people who represent us at the legislature are not compromised because of deals they have cut for campaign donations."

Kevin Gibbons is searching all over Arizona for donations to run against conservative Russell Pearce for State Senator in District 18. Pearce has been a strong voice on fiscal and immigration issues and is running as a clean elections candidate.

"District 18 already has a candidate for Senate who has been a supporter of family values and a friend to the taxpayer," said Tolman, "He has the support of conservative groups and taxpayer organizations. Certainly more of a crowd that represents District 18 compared to Gibbons and his laundry list of liquor purveyors and democratic insiders."

Tolman concluded, "If I were Kevin Gibbons, I would get out the checkbook again and return the money to the liquor industry like he did last week to Jim Pederson. And if he is set on donating it instead, perhaps he should give it to MADD."

# # #

That line at the end about MADD is pretty funny. I still maintain that if you are going to give money back you should give it back to the donor instead of spending their money on something else, but I guess that's beside the point.

You can see who donated to Gibbons for yourself. Its hard to make a comparison between how much Gibbons and Pearce have raised because one is running clean and one is not. However, there is a cutoff to how much Pearce will get, but Gibbons can continue to raise more. Will he continue to get more money out of the liquor industry? Who knows.

I am not sure how big of a deal this is, but it will be a concern of some of the conservative, non-drinking crowd in that area. One would think that it would probably be wise just to avoid that type of funding altogether. Between this and the Pederson donations, its not a question of IF he can raise the money, but maybe if he SHOULD.