Murmurs: No Jokes About the Bridge They Want to Sell You.

The Northwest Grocery Association is pushing hard to privatize liquor sales in Oregon and is seeking political support with the promise of steering $10 million in tax revenues directly to law-enforcement groups that might back the plan. A confidential memo written by NGA president Joe Gilliam specifically seeks support of the Oregon District Attorneys Association—pledging $2.7 million a year to DAs, plus additional grants, if the measure passes. Gilliam says the Washington state Legislature raided public-safety money added when that state privatized liquor sales, and he wants to protect such money in Oregon. The DAs are neutral. See Gilliam's memo here.

WWeek 2015