Ingrates and other irritations: A Kino Flores moment
An update on this session's booze wars:
The package stores have fended off a campaign contribution-fueled push by Texas' two big liquor wholesalers to break up the monopoly that package stores enjoy in selling liquor to bars and restaurants. The package stores' big defender? Rep. Ismael "Kino" Flores, D-Palmview. He runs the House's liquor legislation committee. And he has refused to hear the wholesalers' bill.
Now go to archived video of last night's hearing of Mr. Flores' committee.
Charles Sims, a San Marcos liquor retailer who is secretary-treasurer of the Texas Package Stores Association, irritated Mr. Flores by speaking against a bill to let school districts expand to 1000 feet, from 300 feet, the minimum required distance between any new booze purveyor and one of their campuses.
The bill is by Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, the committee's vice chairman.
(Four minutes, 53 seconds into the meeting:)
Mr. Flores: Don't they know that we were with 'em this whole session? Now they're against us!
Mr. Geren: Uh, huh.
Mr. Flores: Who is Charles Sims? You know how much help you got from this committee?
Mr. Sims: We appreciate it.
Mr. Flores: And now you're against them. We still got 10 days!
Unidentified committee member: He's on probation.
(Mr. Flores then says he may have given Mr. Sims "too much of a hard time." But skip forward to 8:58 into the meeting. After Mr. Sims finishes testifying and walks away, the chairman takes one more shot.)
Mr. Flores: Tell 'em to get ready! The issue might come back!
Comments
I'm still laughing at this ... He never fails. His meetings are pure fun.
Posted by: Brooks | May 2, 2007 1:10 AM