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October 26, 2005Beer and wine wholesalers spent thousands on contributionsNearly $50,000 for campaign contributionsLANSING (AP) - A powerful group representing Michigan beer and wine distributors spent nearly $50,000 on campaign contributions at the same time it was working to prevent wineries from shipping directly to Michigan customers, new campaign finance reports show.The Michigan Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association's political action committee gave $48,231 in campaign contributions to Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Democratic and Republican lawmakers between July 21 and Oct. 20, according to paperwork filed with the Secretary of State's office. Lawmakers have been considering bills that would change the state's wine shipment law since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in May that Michigan's law discriminates against out-of-state wineries by banning them from shipping directly to consumers. The Democratic governor's PAC received $5,000 from the wholesalers. The campaign committees for the House Democrats and Republicans took in $3,000 each while the Senate Democrats received $2,500. The group also gave $2,000 to Rep. Chris Ward, the Brighton Republican who introduced a bill that would ban all wine shipments from wineries in Michigan and outside the state. The wholesalers group supported that bill and it was approved by a House committee in June. The full House, however, voted a few months later to allow wineries inside and outside the state to directly ship about 500 cases of wine a year to state residents, but retailers and restaurants no longer could buy directly from Michigan wineries. It is unclear when the Senate will take up the legislation. Rich Robinson, executive director of the nonprofit Michigan Campaign Finance Network, said lawmakers increasingly are putting the priorities of their campaign contributors first. Michigan wholesalers are the middlemen who buy from wine makers and sell to licensed retailers. They are worried that large California wineries could undercut them and give volume price breaks to large retailers.
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